Today Is Better Than Yesterday
by Yamadori
Summary: Post-Tenkai. Shu has returned to Talta in the hopes of some semblance of normalcy - and, perhaps, to sort out his feelings for Kluke and Bouquet. But his life will be turned upside down again when old friends show up, setting in motion a journey that none of them could have anticipated. (Shu x Bouquet/Kluke; includes Jiro x Kluke x Andropov & Marumaro x Primula side stories.)
1. Chapter 1: Fickle is the Heart…

**Title:** Today Is Better Than Yesterday  
**Fandom:** Blue Dragon (Anime)  
**Full Summary:** Post-Tenkai. It's been nearly three months since Rudolf's defeat, and Shu has gone back to Talta Village in order to return to some semblance of a normal life - and, perhaps, in an attempt to run from his feelings concerning Bouquet and Kluke, which have become more confusing than ever. That changes, though, when Bouquet arrives to tell Shu that he's been summoned to Nirvana by Primula. Things become even more complicated when Noi arrives in Talta the following day, saying that his position as chairman has been revoked by leaders in his home world, and asking if he can stay with Shu for a while. And when Shu, Bouquet and Noi finally do leave for Nirvana, it isn't until too late that they realize they have three certain boys following after them... The ensuing journey will lead them to discoveries, both about themselves and those around them, that they could never have imagined.  
**Genre(s):** Friendship, Action/Adventure, Romance, Family, Crime, Suspense, Drama, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Supernatural, Mystery, Angst  
**Characters:** Shu, Bouquet, Noi, Kobun-tachi (Tsubasa, Hibiki, Taichi; names given), Jiro, Kluke, S. Andropov, Primula, Marumaro, Marcus (OC), Rottares, Hildegard, Xi, Tarkovsky, Szabo, Fushira, Marie, Rom, Kluke's Students, Delphinium, Deathroy, Rogi, Matilda, Konrad, Cleese, Danell, Legolas, Minor OCs  
**Pairing(s):** Shu x Bouquet/Kluke, Jiro x Kluke x Andropov triangle, Marumaro x Primula, Tsubasa x Bouquet crush / _**Platonic Pairings:**_ Shu/Noi friendship, Shu/Kobun-tachi friendship, Noi/Kobun-tachi friendship, Bouquet/Kobun-tachi friendship, Marumaro/Noi friendship, (platonic pairing omitted to avoid spoilers)  
**Rating:** 13-14 and up  
**Warnings:** Mild to moderate suggestive themes, mild violence, one or two disturbing scenes  
**Author's Notes:** I'm embarrassed to say that I have screwed up while translating some names. The most embarrassing part is that it took me three/four years to realize it! The changed names are the following - "Gridr" is now "Cleese", "Daner" is now "Danell", and "Rome" is now "Rom". God-willing, those are the only names I messed up. / Title is taken from the (translated) opening line of season one's second ending theme, _Kokoro_. Translation by Star-Fansubs. (I have also decided to give this story the nickname of _Kyou_, or sometimes _Kyou wa_, taken from the actual Japanese lyrics.) / Unlike other stories, this one refers to Shu's Three Friends as the "Kobun-tachi". "Kobun" means "follower" in Japanese, and is actually how the three boys are referred to as in the credits of the episodes they appear in. / Concerning the names of the Kobun-tachi: Tsubasa, Hibiki and Taichi are actually names that I gave to the boys, but I did it so long ago - before I joined this site - that it became natural for me to call them that, and I forgot to mention it once I joined the site and started publishing my stories. I think there was some confusion concerning this in one of my stories - maybe Precious Memories - so as soon as I have the chance, I'll put a formal note mentioning it. In any case, if anyone would like to use these names, you're more than welcome. / _Today Is Better Than Yesterday_ shares elements with _Fierruneru no Unmei_. After the story is published, there will be notes in the chapters with further explanations. In a side but related note, _Today Is Better Than Yesterday_ has become my primary season three fan fiction (it's not quite my primary anime fic; in terms of that, it is currently tied with _Maple Leaf_/_Maple Sky_). / While the story I have plotted out should remain _mostly_ intact - and I _do_ have the majority of this plotted out, fortunately - there may be some slight changes on occasion. Anything too serious will either be reflected here in the Project Profile or within the story notes when it has been published. / A slightly more insignificant note: concerning the "Warnings", though I say "mild to moderate" suggestive themes, it's not really anything worse than what's in the actual anime. The difference here is that I'm going to be slightly more descriptive - a bit like in _Royal Flush_, though it won't be anywhere _near_ as dark as it is in that fic - and not skip over things because I'm feeling shy/squeamish (which I have a tendency to do; I don't know if anyone noticed or not).

**The story profile above is the updated version that has also been in my LiveJournal entry for NaNoWriMo (2012). (Don't know if anyone still knows my LiveJournal url; it got purged from with the rest of the user websites when the administrators got rid of the option allowing you to display your website. I haven't had the chance yet to post the link on my profile directly, but I'll correct this soon.) You may have noticed that there are a few changes – some more significant than others – that are different from what has been here on my profile. If something significant happens that differs from this story profile, I'll try to give you a heads up in the pre-story author's note.**

**Unlike **_**Royal Flush**_**, **_**Kyou wa**_** will **_**not**_** have dates at the top representing how long it took to complete the chapter. This story was never supposed to be a NaNoWriMo project, and I'd rather not have something that so blatantly states it. However, if anyone would like to know the dates, I'd be more than happy to tell you through either review replies or a PM (whichever you'd prefer). In the same respect, review replies will be appearing up here in following chapters as regularly (finally).**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Blue Dragon anime (or game), nor do I claim to. This is simply my own interpretation of how things could develop after the end of the second season.**

_Chapter 1: Fickle is the Heart…_

He's late.

Swearing up a storm (as Ojiichan would say), he grabs the carrying pole and slings it across his shoulders, buckets clacking across his shoulder blades. He doesn't even have the time to wince when one hits him a little too hard. _Oh God, oh God, this is so bad..._ It must be about half past nine by now. The sun's coming up; the river will be warming.

Fantastic. Great. Just... great.

_Idiot!_!

He slips through the forest with ease, the years away from home unable to diminish the memory of the path. It is not even that, really; more of an instinct. Something that's ingrained on his very soul.

Talta sand forever stays in the bone, the blood, the spirit - eternally, unending, everlasting.

Toyodeh always said that. Still says it, probably; he's ashamed to admit it, even to himself, but he's barely talked to her during his time off.

Who's he kidding? He's barely talked to his grandfather, for God's sake.

Or the trio, for that matter.

Speaking of which- _ugh, it's Wednesday, what am I going to do, I'm just not in the mood for it today, da-_

He stumbles on a rock and finishes (then repeats, twice) the two-syllable curse out loud.

_Focus, Lieutenant Commander._

That helps a lot.

He reaches the river without further blunder, kneeling at the bank and quickly unhooking the buckets before dunking them in, collecting water. His fingers numb from the icy liquid as he dips the wooden container into the rushing hydration. Good. He made it in time.

He's still late, though. He should've been at the forge an hour ago.

With each bucket filled, he shoulders the pole before heading towards the village proper. The weight of the wood slides his loose t-shirt to the side, exposing the black tank top strap; even though he doesn't have the time or concentration to look, he can feel the way the fabric pushes into his skin.

(He hadn't thought he'd ever wear it again. Too many painful memories. But... He's spoken to her; he's moved on. He's ready to don it once more. And he may be wearing it under the white t-shirt - with green stripe - that Ojiichan wore as a boy, and no one else may see it unless the loose shirt slides down and shows it - which actually happens pretty frequently, as his grandfather was not quite as under-grown as he is - but he has it on again, so that's all that matters.)

He takes the back way to the forge; the last thing he needs is the humiliation of all of the villagers seeing him arrive an hour late. And, heaven forbid, the jeering stare of _Kai_. (That would make his day _even lovelier_ than it already is.) He didn't used to worry about it as much in the old days, but without Kluke here-

_Do_ not_ finish that._ He has to pin down the emotions that swirl in his chest at just the mere _thought_ of her name, a maelstrom of agony within his chest.

He had hoped that maybe things would have been different...

...But Shu should know better by now, shouldn't he?

* * *

Mythril is a fickle metal. Most mythril is actually some of the easiest metal to work with in the entire world (aside from the Miracle Metal, Orichalcum, the one that they say whoever finds it is blessed). However, there are deposits of it - some of which just _happen_ to be found in the Lal Mountains - that is some of the trickiest metals of them all.

Especially when heated.

Figures that's what he needs to do with it.

With a sigh, Shu resolves himself to having a hard day.

It's been surprisingly easy to get back into metalworking. True, he's made a few blunders at first, but that can easily be written off – Shu has never been the pro that Fushira is, and in the old days had made plenty of mistakes while at the forge. However, he's pleased to note that there's been some improvement recently compared with when he was ten. One of the weirdest parts of it has actually been the normalcy – he's basically been fighting for two years straight, so it's been something of an adjustment to be at peace.

The strangest, though, has been adjusting to the changes in his old life. While on his journeys, the life he'd had in Talta had been unchangingly preserved in his mind, perfectly frozen in time. To find new things disrupting that picture had come as something of a shock - constantly looking around for Kluke, to tell her a joke on the aside or calling her for dinner with the all of the boys, only to remember that she's no longer there; the fact that Tsubasa is the same age as Shu was when he went off on that fateful journey to defeat Nene; Blue Dragon summoning himself, without any warning or any prompting from Shu, to occasionally (and oddly) help out with chores and the like when no one is around (though Shu suspects this is likely out of his Shadow's desire to do _something_ since there's nothing around to fight these days)... He still has mixed feelings about these changes and the smaller ones. What bothers him, really, is that anything had changed at all. He knows that there's no point in holding onto the past, but… It had been the one thing he'd counted on to never change.

_But… I guess everything changes. Doesn't it?_

The sound of the back door opening and closing registers in his ears. "Aniki?"

It's Tsubasa. "At the forge." For a second, the corner of Shu's mouth twitches up. That tone almost sounds like his grandfather's - the one Fushira uses when he's in the middle of a difficult project and doesn't want to be disturbed.

"Some letters came for you." Shu takes his eyes off the fire just long enough to see Tsubasa enter the room, separating two letters from a larger pile. As he returns his focus to the task at hand, he allows himself a few seconds to consider it. _Two, huh…? That'll probably be Primula and Marumaro._ He'll have trouble translating Marumaro's ungodly scrawl, now that Noi isn't-

The tongs slide in his grip. _Stop it._ He forces his mind away from any thoughts of Noi. _Focus._

He glances at Tsubasa again, just long enough to see the younger boy seat himself on a workbench and start tearing open one of the letters. Shu mentally shrugs. Tsubasa's his friend, pretty much family; he isn't going to get worked up over the kid reading a letter that Shu will probably tell him about later on anyway.

Things proceed silently for a couple of minutes. Just as Shu is preparing to pull out a piece of metal, Tsubasa speaks up again. "Your friend has a… very familiar way of speaking." There's a note in Tsubasa's voice that Shu can't place. Discomfort, maybe?

There is a moment of hesitation, but then Shu continues working. "Mm." _Could it be Marumaro?_ It seems unlikely that Tsubasa would be able to read Marumaro's handwriting – after over two years of practice, Shu is only able to get the gist of it. Perhaps someone else wrote it for him. But what's the reason for it?

"Wow… She actually said it…" Tsubasa says something else, but it's too low for Shu to hear and he can't afford to focus on it right now, despite the curiosity that the murmured statement brings. Even after doing this for years, it's important to be careful around the fire and hot metal at all times-

"Aniki, are you in love with Bouquet?"

Shu lets out a shout as his glove-covered hand alights on the forge – that glove and his Shadow User resistance is the only thing that keeps the burn from being severe. Dropping the tongs with a growled out curse, he yanks the glove off with his teeth and plunges his hand into the nearest barrel of water.

That's the first time he's burned himself at the forge since he was five years old.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spots Tsubasa leaping off the table. "Aniki-!"

He gets rid of the glove with a shake of his head; it lands on the table next to a fragment of mythril, which seems to glint up at him mockingly. "What is with you?! Saying something like that all of a sudden…" Shu fights against a flush.

"W-well, that's what I meant before. She wrote it in a really familiar way, and at the end of the letter she said 'love, Bouquet', so… I just thought…"

"You shouldn't go presuming things." Even as he says it, the words leave a bitter taste in his mouth. Like he's told a half-truth.

"…So, you don't, then?" When Shu doesn't immediately answer, Tsubasa adds, "What about Kluke?"

"Didn't I just tell you not to presume anything?" Taking his hand out of the water, he gives it a few shakes to rid it of any lingering drops. His palm is bright red, but with the quickened regeneration, it shouldn't be anything serious. Most of the damage will heal within the hour, and any leftover remnants will be gone by tomorrow morning. "And what does Kluke have to do with anything?" Shu knows what Tsubasa is getting at all too well – he partially raised this boy; Shu is more than aware that he's a bright kid – but he'll dodge this issue with every bit of willpower he's got.

"I-it's just… The way you act around Kluke- the way you _used_ to… Sometimes, the boys and I just wondered… Wondered if maybe you…" He doesn't finish.

Shu sighs, staring at the wall. He waits for just a second-

Then, quick as a flash, he reaches over and yanks Tsubasa's goggles over his eyes, causing the younger boy to yelp and then whine, "Ani_ki_!"

Laughing lightly, Shu takes a seat on the table. "Sorry. But you make it too easy, kiddo. C'mere." He grabs Tsubasa by the middle, lifting him up and seating the boy beside him.

When Tsubasa pushes the goggles back on top of his head, his face is slightly red, but he wears a small smile. "We haven't played around like that in ages."

"Yeah, we haven't." Shu softens his expression, putting an arm around Tsubasa's shoulders. "We haven't done much of anything, really. But… I've got more time to spend here in Talta, so I'm going to try to make up for it now. Okay?"

"Okay." Tsubasa is grinning widely. Then something cheeky slips into his expression. Shu braces himself; much as he's raised these boys of his to be good kids, Shu's mischievousness has rubbed off on all of them. Tsubasa is usually the mildest and most mature of the trio, but it doesn't mean that streak of mischief is nonexistent. "And then you can introduce me to that Bouquet girl you 'don't like', right?"

Shu gives a nervous laugh, short and disbelieving. "Wh- what?"

"Oh…" Tsubasa looks at him thoughtfully. He's as forgetful as he was two years ago, apparently. "Didn't I tell you? She said she's coming to Talta-"

Faster than he thought he could move, Shu snatches the letter out of Tsubasa's grip, reading through it swiftly. He doesn't need a mirror; Shu can _feel_ the blood drain out of his face. As soon as he finishes, his hand drops to his lap. In a hoarse whisper, he croaks out, "Oh, God."

Tsubasa tilts his head to the side. "Aniki?"

Before the younger can say another word, Shu grabs him by the wrist and hauls him out of the forge.

As he runs down the hall, he raises his voice to a shout. "Taichi! Hibiki!"

The two pop out of the storeroom, wearing inquisitive expressions. At the same time they say, "Aniki-?"

Shu sets Tsubasa down, then grabs him and Hibiki together in the same arm. With the other, he lifts Taichi. Not saying a word, he continues to race down the hallway amidst the boy's yells of protest.

When he reaches a certain door, he uses his elbow to knock on it (given that his arm is filled with Taichi). "Ojiichan, I'm taking my break now! The boys and I will be back soon!" With that, he hurries out of the house.

Before he leaves entirely, he hears a door open behind him, and his grandfather tentatively saying his name. "Shu…?"

* * *

"We have a serious situation on our hands, men…" He paces as he talks. "The opposition is preparing to infiltrate our ranks and unleash a full-frontal assault. However, we don't have the sufficient time to prepare a plan. And so we are left with no choice but to evade and proceed from there." A hand is raised. "Yes?"

"…I think you might've been in the Resistance too long, Aniki." Hibiki blinks at him with confused eyes. "Don't you think you're taking this a little too seriously?"

"What kind of talk is that?" Shu raises his voice – not enough for it to be a shout, but it still makes all three of the boys jump. "Time is of the essence. I need to know that all of you have my back." He pauses, looks carefully at each of them. "So? Can I count on you?"

The trio exchanges glances with each other. When they look back at him, their faces are full of determination. There_ are my boys._ Shu fights a grin. "We're with you, Aniki!"

"Good. Now, Tsubasa," he points at him, "I need you to stay here and keep watch. If you spot her, try to either distract her or direct her attention elsewhere, and then as soon as you're able, shout our old code word into the forest." Shu gestures at himself. "Taichi, Hibiki, you'll be heading into the forest with me. We'll be posting ourselves near the tree line so we can hear Tsubasa. Once he yells the code word, we'll decide what to do from there." Folding his arms, he asks finally, "Does anyone have any questions?"

A series of negative responses follows. Shu holds up a fist. For a moment, as the sun flashes in his eyes, he almost feels ten again; ready to embark on some grand adventure with his friends through the village or its outskirts, even though his true journey is yet to come. "Alright, boys – let's get to it!"

The three boys cheer in the affirmative. And with that, Shu runs off into the forest with Hibiki and Taichi on his heels.

* * *

Propping up his chin with his hand, Tsubasa sighs. "I was really looking forward to hanging out with Aniki today…" Talking to himself is a habit – perhaps a bad one - but it's one that he's never felt inclined to break. "He's always over at that White Brigade city-thing… After their leader or whatever got kidnapped, I thought he'd _never_ come home… And now that he _is_ home, he's all in a panic over that girl." Another sigh. "This _stinks_…"

Tsubasa lifts his head from his palm. "Still… This is almost like the games we used to play. Maybe it's not so bad after all." Grinning, he gets to his feet. "That girl will probably leave if she can't find Aniki. I just have to do my part, and then we'll get to spend time with him again." Raising fisted hands, he proclaims, "I won't let you down, Aniki!"

A voice says from behind him, "Excuse me?"

_A girl?_ Tsubasa whirls at the sound of the voice, back towards the village-

Everything comes to a halt in his mind as he sees the person that stands before him.

Her outfit registers first – brown shoes, red thigh-highs, olive green denim miniskirt (although it looks like there's some kind of purple or dark pink clothing peeking out from under the hem – shorts, maybe?), blue tube top that leaves all of her abdomen and the very top of her (rather large) chest exposed, and some kind of light brown hooded shawl-jacket-thing… She's wearing a necklace, a round blue disc that's color looks to be a cross between the sky and a robin's egg, and in the middle of the circle is an ocean-colored triangle. A matching bracelet adorns her right wrist, and two golden bands encircle the left. Her hair, black and shiny like a raven's feather, with a slight gray undertone like smoke, is pulled into two pigtails with red hairbands. And her eyes, her _eyes_, are purple and shine like the brightest gem.

She is the most beautiful girl he's ever seen.

"Ah- er…" Words have lost all meaning. He scrabbles for them desperately, but they remain stubbornly out of reach. Tsubasa feels himself flush.

She giggles, closing her eyes. It's angelic. "How cute!" Opening her eyes again, a flash of glimmering amethyst, she leans down towards him – and he immediately forces his eyes up, strictly on her face, so her cleavage is out of his line of sight. "Such a cute little boy! Say, is there any way you could help me?"

"Absolutely! Anything!" His words come out in a rush. "Anything you want! Just name it, and I'll do it!"

Another giggle. He might faint. "And so helpful, too! That's great!" She places a finger under her chin. "I'm looking for a boy who lives here in Talta Village. I need to speak with him right away."

"No problem!" Tsubasa presses a hand to his chest, hoping that he sounds mature and knowledgeable. "I know almost everybody in the village. I'll be able to help you find him for sure."

"Wonderful!" She claps her hands together. "By any chance, do you happen to know someone named Shu?"

Well, that makes things surprisingly easy. "Definitely! I've known him since I was little. Come on," he waves her forward, towards the forest. "I can show you exactly where he is." _What luck! Who knew she'd be looking for Aniki?_ This day is looking better all the time.

When they're a little ways into the forest, it abruptly occurs to Tsubasa that he hasn't asked the girl who she is. _Idiot!_ "Hey, um… I never asked what your name was, did I?" _She must think you're so rude… Way to go with impressing her._

"Oh, how silly of me! I guess I never introduced myself, huh?" She gestures towards herself. "My name is Bouquet. It's nice to meet you!"

Tsubasa freezes.

Bouquet pauses as well, looking confused. "Are you okay?"

Without replying, Tsubasa takes off, sprinting full-tilt into the forest, hollering the code word at the top of his lungs.

* * *

"Aniki," Taichi fidgets, looking severely uncomfortable. It makes sense; the three of them are crouched together in a bush and - despite being only nine - Taichi is still the largest of them. Shu quashes the guilt that rises in his chest and tells himself it's for a better cause. "I still don't get why we have to hide if Tsubasa is-"

"Mushroom stealer, mushroom stealer, mushroom stealer-!_!_"

"Tsubasa?" Hibiki peers out of the foliage, voice mirroring Shu's inward disbelief (and probably outward, too, if he could see his face). "What's Tsubasa doing here? Isn't he supposed to be keeping watch at the tree line-?"

"-stealer, mushroom stealer, mushroom stealer!_!_" Tsubasa comes to stop in front of the bush, panting heavily. "Aniki-"

"Tsubasa, what are you _doing_ here?" Shu hisses at him, a sneaking suspicion keeping him from raising his voice much higher than a whisper.

"Aniki- Aniki, I messed up," Tsubasa lifts his head, eyes filled with desperation. "I didn't know who she was, and I-"

The distant voice pulls Shu up short. "Cute little boy?" So like her, to label Tsubasa in such a way. Despite everything, the sound of her voice sets off a pang of longing in his chest. "Where did you go?"

"Are you _crazy_?!" Shu shrieks at Tsubasa, no longer bothering to control his tone. Without giving him any time to respond, he gathers the three boys up into his arms and takes off at a run.

"Darling?! Is that you?!"

Shu swears colorfully, pausing for a precious second to reposition the boys so that they hang off his back. The extra weight will be something of a liability – especially since Taichi is wider than him even if the younger boy is no longer taller – but Shu is going to need his hands free for this. "Hold on to me and don't let go!" Not wasting any time, he sprints deeper into the forest.

"It _is_ you, isn't it?!" Bouquet is gaining, her voice becoming clearer. Shu isn't sure if it's because he's impeded, or if she's just that fast. "Come back! Don't run away!"

"Aniki," Hibiki shouts so he'll be heard. "Why did she call you 'Darling'? Do you like each other or something?"

Taichi pipes up, "What about Kluke?"

"Shut _up_." Shu spits out between gritted teeth. _These. Kids!_ What is _with_ them? Why are they suddenly putting his relationships under a periscope?

Why can't everyone just leave him _alone_ about this already?

But then he brightens as he spies what's up ahead on the path. Shu smirks in triumph. _Sorry, Bouquet. This may be your first time here…_

As soon as he's within range, he vaults upward, running _up the tree_, the boys wailing in panic and clinging to him tighter than ever. Once he's about midway, he kicks off the trunk to backflip in the air, flipping twice before landing neatly on the other side of the river.

…_but _I_ know this place by heart._

He starts running again, just barely able to make out Bouquet over the rush of the river. "Aw, geez…!" She huffs in agitation and he hears a stomping noise that must be her foot. He grins. Victory is sweet.

Now that the coast is clear, he heads for the old meeting spot he and the boys would use – a rock shelf underneath a large tree. The roots hang down over the space, providing decent cover. If one were to look at it directly, or spot the color of clothing from above, they'll be detected easily. For now, though, it will be sufficient for getting out of sight.

Hopping off the ledge, Shu lands with ease. He quickly spins around, dumping the boys and himself in the safe spot. Once they're out of plain view, Shu lets out a relieved sigh.

And then he remembers how furious he is at Tsubasa. "What were you thinking?!" Shu snaps at the younger boy. "Are you out of your mind?! You led her straight to us!"

"I- I just-"

"It's a disaster!" Shu throws his hands up. "We don't have the time to come up with a new plan!"

"I couldn't help it!" Tsubasa flails. "She's so pretty and my brain got stupid!"

Baffled, Shu does a double take. "Say what?"

He isn't given enough time to try and figure out what that means, though.

"There you are, Darling!"

As if it's being pulled upward by some unknown force, Shu lifts his head.

Just in time to see Bouquet leaping over the ridge right above them.

Shu barely manages to get out a shriek before he's scrambling to his feet and taking off like a shot. There's a thud from behind him; Bouquet has landed, and she's close. Not enough time to run for it. He goes for the first thing he sees – a tree stump – and moves so that it's between him and Bouquet. As a shield, it's about as flimsy as it gets, but there's no other option. Bouquet approaches with a gleam in her eyes, and he grips the wood in front of him like a lifeline.

Once she's near enough, she clutches the other side, her grin somewhere between playful and predatory. It reminds him of their so-called date nearly three months ago, when she threw him into the alley and tried to kiss him, and Shu fervently hopes that he's not in for a repeat. He doesn't have a fortuneteller/prophet-who's-actually-Rudolf to use as an out this time. "I finally caught up to you, Darling." Her breathing's labored, and for the first time he notices the sheen of sweat on her forehead. A strand of black hair is curling at her temple from the perspiration; his fingers twitch with the need to smooth it out, and he swears mentally. _It's getting worse. Why did she have to come?_ "You don't have to be so _shy_, you know. It's only me, Darling." She winks at him.

Shu swallows hard. "Quit it, Bouquet." He edges backwards. If he's quick, he might be able to get away. He's fast, and he'd only need a second. But which way to go? The closest hiding spots are back towards the village; the others, most of which are his best, are deeper into the forest, and he may not have enough time to make it there.

Bouquet pouts at him. _I have to get _out_ of here!_ His fight or flight mode is getting ready to kick in; if he doesn't make a decision soon, his body (or Blue Dragon, or both) is going to make it for him. "'Quit it', he says. I haven't seen you in two months, and that's all you can say?"

Guilt hits him with a hard punch to the stomach. Whatever else is going on with his head (and his heart, if he's being honest here), Bouquet is still his friend. She's right; she deserves better than that. "N- no, I didn't mean it like that. I mean, I- I _am_ glad to see you-" And he is. Even if he doesn't want her here, Shu is still unbelievably happy to see her, happier than he's been since he left Nirvana.

Even if it hurts.

And then Bouquet _smirks_. "So fickle today, Darling."

Trap. The whole thing was a trap. Very clever, to lure him into feeling guilty, while it was actually just a ruse to make him hesitate and buy her time. Clever, clever Bouquet.

That's his girl.

She leaps onto the tree stump. Given that they're directly in front of his face and about three inches away, he can't help but notice her breasts bouncing. His throat goes dry. "I'll have to _hug_ you for that, Darling." It's not that kind of hug.

So. Flight it is, then.

Shu starts running before Bouquet has even jumped off, but his sad attempt at a head start is all for naught – after about three steps or so, he trips on a rock that he doesn't remember being there, and falls stomach first into the small stream.

He's screwed.

In a last effort, Shu gets to his hands and knees, tries to get into some kind of position where he can make a run for it, but he knows it's a lost cause when he hears Bouquet say, "Now I've got you," spare inches away from his ear. Not willing to go down without a fight, Shu tries to move away regardless-

And then he feels it on his back, the sensation all the more apparent from his soaked shirt.

_Chest. Huge. Soft. Help._

_You're on your own with this one, kid._ Oh, his _beloved_ Shadow! So kind and helpful!

_Screw you, Blue Dragon!_

"It's been such a long time since we were together!" Bouquet presses down closer, and Shu's helpless to stop the gasp that pushes out of his throat. "I've missed being close to you like this, Darling~!"

"B- Bouquet! Stop!" All of the blood is rushing to his head. His blush must be furious indeed; he can feel the heat rolling off of his cheeks in waves. He forces himself not to examine any of the feelings rushing through him, whether they're physical or emotional. "Stop it!"

As he and Bouquet wrestle by the stream, Shu can hear Tsubasa muttering behind them, "…What in the world is going on here?"

* * *

"So, then," Bouquet is chipper, seemingly unphased by the whole situation; he wishes he could say the same. Shu rubs his neck, feeling distinctly ill at ease. "I'm Bouquet. And who are all of you?"

"Tsu- Tsubasa!" Shu arches an eyebrow at the younger boy's stiff and awkward response; despite himself, he watches with rising curiosity as Tsubasa's cheeks turn pink. "I'm Tsubasa, B-Bouquet-san!"

Both eyebrows go up at the honorific.

"You're the cute little boy from before!" Tsubasa is blushing at first, but promptly shrinks away at the sharp glare Shu sends his way. "No need to be so formal, though. Just 'Bouquet' is fine." She turns her attention to the other two members of the trio. "And what about you two?"

"I'm Hibiki!"

"My name is Taichi!"

"Oh, it's so nice to finally meet all of Darling's friends from home! I never got to visit Talta Village, you see, and I've always wanted to come here with Darling." She loops her arm through Shu's. He tries not to flinch. "And now I have!" Her expression is so sunny, so full of joy. As if just being around him is where all of her happiness comes from.

Heart sinking, Shu has to look away.

* * *

It's nice in Talta. A little too hot for Bouquet's tastes, but it's still a very pleasant village. She likes it here a lot.

The path to Shu's house, which rests at the top of a very slight hill, is a cooler temperature than the rest of the village. It's a forested pathway that isn't in the main part of Talta, but is not quite far enough away to be considered Talta's outskirts. A few moments ago, while Tsubasa had been chatting amicably with her (now his focus is on the other two boys – the smallest of the trio, Hibiki, and the largest, Taichi), he'd told her that while Shu lives in the house with his grandfather, they do all of their blacksmithing in the market area where they have their forge.

Bouquet hadn't known about Shu's grandfather, or that said grandfather is a blacksmith, or that Shu had been in training to be a blacksmith before Zola came along. He never told her.

With a little sigh, Bouquet glances back at him now. He still has that sour expression on his face, the same one he's had since she announced that she wanted to see where Shu lives. Something strange is going on with him, but she can't tell what it is. She got to know Shu incredibly well during their time together – on their first journey, their time with the Resistance, and their second journey – and she's learned to read him. All the expressions and habits and tells that give away what he's feeling – she knows most of them at this point. So to now not be able to tell what he's thinking… It bothers her a little.

…_Does this have to do with what you told me two months ago?_

It had been after the fiasco with Primula being kidnapped by the still mostly-unknown group, Rächer. Shu's time guarding Primula had been about to come to an end, with the first of the next month and Marumaro's turn rapidly approaching. She had wanted to know if he would leave Nirvana until it was his turn again, what he wanted to do next…

"_Bouquet… There are some complicated things I need to sort out. I'm sorry… I can't tell you what they are. But… I'm going to leave for Talta Village at the end of the month... And I need you to not come with me._

"_I know this is sudden, but… I need you to do this for me. I'll try to figure this out as quickly as I can. So please, Bouquet… Please trust me."_

And she hasn't heard from him since.

Until now, anyway.

…Such as it is.

Bouquet would have done as he said – stayed away, even though she didn't want to. But despite wanting to be here… the decision to come had not been her choice, or even within her power to make.

She pushes it from her mind. She's here ahead of time, so bringing up the true reason for her visit won't be necessary until tomorrow. For now, her goal is to find out what's wrong with Shu – and to fix it, if she can.

Her thoughts are interrupted by Hibiki calling out, "We're here!"

Nestled in a little clearing is a house made of a hodgepodge of wood and clay (mostly more of the former than the latter). It's not overly large, but is wider than it is tall.

Taichi laughs, holding his arms out as he hurries toward the front of the home. "Jiichan!"

"It's late in the day, so Fushira will be home by now," Tsubasa explains to her. "Or he should be, anyway."

Hibiki tugs on her skirt. "We have to introduce you!"

Out of nowhere, Shu stalks ahead; he doesn't look at any of them, or say a word. Shoulders hunched, head down, and hands in his pockets. When the new shirt he's wearing slides to the side for a second, she sees the black cloth on his shoulder – what must have been the slightly dark shape she saw when he got wet from the stream – and with a jolt, it hits her that it's his tank top from two years ago (almost three, now).

"Are you okay?" The look Hibiki gives her is a mixture of confusion and worry.

"Oh… I-it's nothing. Really." Bouquet tries for a smile, but suspects that she falls short.

When she and the boys arrive at the house, Shu and Taichi have already gone inside. While Shu remains near the entrance, Taichi is nowhere in sight. That changes in a second when he appears from a hallway, being followed by an older man with a long white beard and hair tied back (though it doesn't look exactly the same, it reminds her of Shu).

This must be Fushira.

Bouquet smiles at him. "Hello; you're Fushira, right? It's nice to finally meet you." She strives to be both polite and pleasant; even though she knows little to nothing about him, she and this man will be family one day. Though they may not be that close yet, at the very least she wants to make a good impression on him.

And the old man smiles warmly. The trio is suddenly gaping at him in shock, though she doesn't know why. "I am. And who might you be?"

"My name is Bouquet," she braces herself. Here it comes – this is what will make or break everything. "And I'm Shu's fiancée."

There is a sudden outcry from the boys.

"_Aniki_!_!_"

"You never told us you were engaged!"

"When did that happen?!"

"My self-proclaimed fiancée." Shu says, and there's a strange note in his voice that keeps her from turning around.

Fushira moves closer to her. The smile is still there, and Bouquet feels relieved. When outstretches his hand, she takes it gladly. "Well, then. It's a pleasure to meet you, my dear."

The boys start chattering incessantly, about how Fushira is never this nice to people he just meets (this earns them a gruff response from the old man), how they have to get to know "Aniki's" fiancée better, how she has to stay for dinner-

In the flurry of excitement, Bouquet forgets about the odd response from Shu and inadvertently turns in his direction-

She whips back around, hands clasped over her heart; it's pounding in her chest as she bites her lip.

Bouquet doesn't know why, but in Shu's eyes there had been a look of deep hurt and betrayal.

* * *

Dinner has been pretty miserable for Shu. For the majority of the meal, he's either been doing one of two things - picking at the food on his plate, or resting his hand on his chin, elbow on the table, looking at the farthest corner of the room. He has no appetite, and no interest in joining the conversation.

The whole time has been pretty joyous for everyone else. Ojiichan – _Ojiichan_, of _all_ people, his grandfather who barely says _anything_ to _anyone_ unless he's talking to Shu, the boys, one of the elders, or Kluke – has been talking to Bouquet the whole time, asking her questions about herself. His reactions to the responses have either been fond or amused. The boys keep asking her things about her relationship with him.

His nails dig into the soft wood of the table. Everything he's worked for these past two months has gone down the drain. _Ruined. It's all ruined._ His fingers dig in deeper, and he's trying to pin it down and control it, but Shu can tell that his patience with everything, all of it, is about to snap.

Through the thoughts tumbling around in his head, he hears Hibiki say, "You and Aniki sure have done a lot together."

_Her violet eyes shine like nothing else he's ever seen. "I promise you I'll show you those things, all of that and more. Together, we'll go all around the world and see everything it has to offer. Just you and me, Darling."_

Fushira laughs. "It's good to know such a nice young lady has been taking care of my grandson."

_Kluke grins at him, twirling her wrench with practiced ease. "Like you could shake me. I'll always be around to take care of you."_

It's too much-

"_Aniki, are you in love with Bouquet?"_

"_I-it's just… The way you act around Kluke- the way you _used_ to… Sometimes, the boys and I just wondered… Wondered if maybe you…"_

"_Why did she call you 'Darling'? Do you like each other or something?"_

"_What about Kluke?"_

And he _can't take it anymore_.

He stands up, slamming his hands on the table, sending the dishes rattling. His hair shields his eyes from view, but he can hear everyone at the table go silent.

Bouquet quietly murmurs, "Sh-Shu…?"

"…Why?" His voice is low, and though he tries to rein it in, the edge of anger is audible. "Why did you have to come? You're sitting here and acting like everything is fine, talking with my family who I barely even get to see... I _asked_ you not to come, and yet you came anyway. Why are you doing this to me?!"

"Aniki-" Hibiki. Why is he speaking up now, of all times? "Aniki, you're crying…"

The shock of it forces his head up, causes him to see Bouquet's stunned expression while he finally feels the wetness rolling down his face. Shu jerks back with a gasp, the movement seeming to let loose even more of the tears; his chair wobbles as he bumps into it.

He can't face this. He _can't_.

And so he turns around and runs away.

* * *

"_Shu… Why are you doing this, maro?"_

"_I just want to go home for a little bit."_

"_I'm not talking about that, maro." Marumaro cleared his throat. "…Why did you tell Bouquet and Kluke not to come with you, maro?"_

_Shu paused, a split-second of hesitation. Swift but noticeable. Then he resumed packing. "It's complicated. I have things I need to figure out, and I'd rather do it alone. This is for the best."_

_Marumaro snorted. "Best for who, I wonder, maro?" After seeing the sudden tension in Shu's shoulders, he gentled his tone. "How do you know for sure this is the best thing to do, maro?" When Shu didn't respond, Marumaro sighed and said, "You know, when it comes to this sort of thing, someone always gets hurt in the end, maro-"_

"_You think I don't know that?!" Shu whirled on him suddenly, frustration in his voice and pain in his eyes. "I- I know that one of them, maybe even both of them, are being hurt by this whole thing. Why do you think I'm leaving and told them not to follow?" He ran a hand through his hair, something Marumaro had come to recognize as a nervous habit. "No. I don't know if this is the right thing to do. But… I have to try _something_. Things can't go on like this." He turned around and closed his backpack._

"_Shu…"_

_After swinging the pack onto his shoulders, Shu crossed the distance to Marumaro and put a hand on his shoulder. "Look… If you or Primula need anything, anything at all…Just stop by or send me a letter." Shu's hold on him tightened, then. There was an undercurrent of loneliness there, in his actions and in his words. Marumaro knew that his choice to return to Lago Village two years ago had wounded Shu (though they went to different places, the same went for Kluke and Jiro too), and though most of that had healed over the past half year or so, this new separation was going to reopen it all over again. _Another thing to be repaired, maro. What am I going to do with this kid, maro? _"Take…" Shu swallowed. "…Take care of yourself, okay?"_

_As Shu walked down the White Brigade castle halls, he never heard what Marumaro said next._

"_Shu… Why do you think I've been trying so hard to get you to choose one of them, maro?" Helplessly, knowing that Shu was too far down the hallway to hear him, Marumaro let out a small sigh. "When I said that somebody gets hurt in this kind of thing, I wasn't talking about Kluke and Bouquet, maro… I was talking about _you_, maro…"_

* * *

She walks toward her destination; despite the grass bending slightly under her steps, her feet make nearly no noise at all. When it's in sight, and she sees him, Bouquet breaks out into a wide smile. "There you are." She approaches steadily. "Fushira said you tend to come out here when you're feeling down." The location is another clearing on a slight hilltop, not too deep into the forest, and not really too far away from the house. There were actually two spots the blacksmith had mentioned – the other, which is supposedly the most likely place to find him, is a miniature rock peak with an excellent view of the Big Moon, but Shu didn't go there for some reason. She takes a seat beside him.

He takes a second to let out a hard exhalation through his nose, and without even looking at her, stands and starts to head back the way she came.

Bouquet waits, staring out into the forest. Shu has only gone a short distance before she speaks up, "Wait a minute, Shu." Maybe he hears what is in her tone, but whatever the reason, his movements cease. "I need to talk to you for a moment, okay?" She brings her knees up to her chest, resting her arms on top of them. "…The real reason I'm here is to deliver a message from Primula. I made it here to Talta Village a day earlier than I was supposed to, and so I thought maybe… maybe this could be a chance to spend time with you. I didn't forget what you told me to do… I guess I was just hoping that it wouldn't matter. But I realize now that was a mistake." She stares down at her hands, watching as she fidgets with her fingers restlessly. Knowing that Shu can't see, she allows the sadness into her smile. "Tomorrow, I'll tell you what that message is. And then I'll leave and stay away for as long as you like. Even… Even if it's forever." The last part takes courage that she didn't know she had.

There is a sudden crunch of grass – approaching, not moving away. A small thud follows; Shu must be sitting on the ground. "Bouquet…" He sounds close. "I asked you not to come because I have some important things to decide. I still haven't done that yet, but…"

Silence. And then there's a rustling-

Bouquet gasps as he embraces her from behind.

When he speaks, Shu's voice is thick and low with emotion. "I never meant to hurt you." His arms tighten around her. Somehow, her hands wound up resting over his, just a few inches below her collarbone. Bouquet wonders if he can feel her heart racing, or feel the heat from the flush that covers her face. "I would never do anything to hurt you. Not ever."

And then she smiles again, nodding slightly. Her eyes feel wet, but with him here, holding her so close, the only thing she can feel is happiness. "I know."

* * *

"Thirteen is a tumultuous age, and he's coming up on it pretty fast," Fushira sips at his tea. Though his mouth is hidden by the cup, Bouquet can see the kindness in his eyes. "Things may be difficult for the two of you right now, but it'll get better with time."

"Mm." She nods, then sips at her own drink. Shu seems better overall now; she still doesn't know what he and his grandfather talked about after Bouquet and Shu returned, but whatever it was did a lot of good. She glances around. He and the boys are still oddly missing, though-

She nearly jumps out of her skin as a sudden chorus of shrieks echoes through the house.

"Ah." Fushira leans back with a small sigh. "It seems to be about that time."

"Time for what?" Twisting around in her chair, she looks about for any sign of them. But despite the noise, the four of them are still out of sight.

"Wednesday."

"…What about Wednesday?" She can't keep the incredulous note out of her voice.

A loud bump comes from the distance, followed by a series of scuffling noises. Afterwards, there's a shout, "Taichi, Hibiki! Save yourselves!" After this comes the thumping of footfalls.

"Wh-what in the world is happening?" Bouquet debates with herself whether or not she should get up to investigate. Fushira continues to sit calmly, taking a sip of tea occasionally. He seems entirely unworried. But why?

And then Taichi and Hibiki are suddenly in the living room, panicked gazes darting about the place as if they're searching for something. A change comes over Hibiki, like he's made a decision, and then he's suddenly lunging under the table. Bouquet squeaks as he scurries under her legs. _What the heck?_

Taichi begins to approach, seeming like he's about to do the same, but then Hibiki hisses out from under the table, "You can't fit under here anymore! Go find another hiding spot!"

The boy lets out a miserable moan. It's like he's trying to escape from something…

Shu's voice comes from down the hall "Taichi-"

Taichi lets out a shout before dodging into the kitchen, slamming the door just as Shu reaches it. Shu, with the hand that isn't full of Tsubasa, pounds the door with his fist, letting out a mild curse. He then tries the doorknob, twisting and pulling, but to no avail. "Looks like he locked it, huh…"

She watches, perplexed, as Shu looks at the door from different angles. He seems mildly irritated but mostly thoughtful. Then, in a sudden motion, he's crouching down on the ground with his hand pressed to the floor. "Don't scare him too bad, alright?" Bouquet is confused about who he is talking to, when blue aura suddenly flares up around him – Tsubasa, wide-eyed, lets out a squeak of surprise – and she realizes that the place Shu has his hand pressed is over his shadow.

A blue flash moves across the floor, into the sealed-off kitchen.

Even through the locked door, she can hear the sudden crash that's accompanied by a piercing shriek. Shu darts to his feet and pounds on the door hard enough to rattle it. "I said don't scare him, you moron!_!_"

The door swing opens. Blue Dragon, holding a terrified Taichi, grins at Shu devilishly. "How could I resist such an easy opening?"

Shu rolls his eyes, taking Taichi from Blue Dragon. "This relationship is a two-way thing, you know. You've got to listen when I tell you something."

When they were just starting out, the words would have caused Blue Dragon to either blatantly ignore Shu or fly into a rage. Today, the Shadow simply scoffs; he's openly annoyed and dismissive, but you can see the amusement if you've observed Blue Dragon the way Bouquet has. The relationship between Shu and Blue Dragon has grown into something that is like no other – friendly and hostile, argumentative and protective, jarringly off-kilter and perfectly balanced. Bouquet's never seen another Shadow and User remotely like these two, nor has she ever found another dynamic so intriguing.

"Alright, then," Shu turns around. "Now for Hibiki." His eyes go right to the table.

Bouquet feels movement along her shins. Something presses there, warm and trembling. The shaking doubles as Shu approaches, then wordlessly ducks under the table, moving like he's done the same thing a hundred times. Hibiki wails, "But Ani_ki_-!_!_"

Shu straightens again, arms filled with all three boys. "No buts." There's authoritativeness in his voice, but not the kind she's heard him use in the Resistance. He's come close to this tone before, with Noi, but it has never been so clear before. After consideration, she deciphers at least part of what it is - sternness that is tempered with gentleness and affection. "All little boys in the house get bath time on Wednesday night."

As the boys let loose with a series of whines, it hits Bouquet what it is. _Big brother mode._ She is both giddy and amused at the revelation. Another thought occurs to her. _If he acted that way towards Noi, even just a little…_ She had suspected that Shu felt that way, of course, though things weren't so easy between them in the beginning (they knocked heads just a little too much for that); when it was just the four of them on the road and they had a few minutes where they weren't fighting for their lives, Shu had spent a lot of time with Noi. She misses Noi-chan so badly that it hurts, and she knows it's the same for Marumaro, but for the first time she considers something else - does it hurt even worse for Shu?

Her musing is broken when Shu stalks off down the hall with the protesting boys, Blue Dragon still summoned and snorting derisively on occasion.

Bouquet stares the way they went for several long moments. Then she nods and gets up. "I'll be back in a minute." She tries not to blush when Fushira chuckles, like he already knows what she's up to. It's ironic, because Bouquet doesn't even know herself.

She proceeds down the hallway carefully, cautious about not making any noise. As she gets closer to the bathroom, she can hear the water already running and the trio making a ruckus. A particularly loud cry goes up at one point from both Tsubasa and Hibiki, "Aniki, you're scrubbing too hard!"

"Whiners."

"Blue Dragon, shut up. And I wouldn't have to scrub so hard if the three of you little rascals didn't jump in every mud puddle within a mile." A hard exhalation. "I'm starting to see what Kluke was getting at."

She's only a foot or two away from the doorway. Hibiki suddenly sounds anxious. "You're not against us jumping in mud puddles now, are you, Aniki? Is it because you bathe everyday now?"

"No, I'm not against you playing in the mud. It's just that I wouldn't mind you laying off a little bit since I'm the one who washes you down every week. And I bathe every day because it's mandatory when you're in the army. That was the case for the Resistance, in any case."

"Poor Aniki…" The three boys say it in perfect unison.

"It's not so bad, really, especially once you're used to it. And it's not such a bad habit to get into." He follows up with a soft laugh. "Believe me, when you're fighting all the time, taking a bath or a shower is pretty relaxing." A series of splashes occur; she thinks Taichi yelps, though it's hard to tell. "Your muscles get super tense, so some warm water goes a long way."

It seems like as good a time as any. With a deep breath, Bouquet pops her head in side. "Hey, Shu-?"

The trio starts screaming, flailing wildly. "Oh, _woah_-!" Shu's arms go out, like he's trying to shield them-

And then Blue Dragon's wings are moving, with enough speed and power to stir her hair, now acting as cover so that she can only see the tops of the trio's heads and Shu's upper half. "Wh-what are you doing in here?" Shu stutters.

"I…" She trails. What _is_ she doing? "I came to see if I could help." It's better than nothing, she supposes.

"You can't come in here." Shu is firm and unyielding.

Bouquet puffs her cheeks out in agitation. "Why not? How come Blue Dragon can be in here but I can't?"

"Because-" And Shu's face actually turns _red_- "Because you're a girl."

Between the tone of his voice and the childishness of the statement and his red face, for the first time in a long while Shu is sounding and acting like what he actually is – not the Lieutenant Commander fighting Rosenkreuz, not the Shadow User fighting enemies, not the leader of their four-person group giving instructions. But a twelve year old boy. She doesn't always remember that. And she doesn't always remember that she's just a twelve year old girl, either. But he's reminded her now, and she's glad for it.

Regardless, Bouquet loves each of those facets of Shu – the soldier, the Shadow User, the leader, the boy – and more. She loves _him_. Whether it's her love for him or the reminder of his age, she can't say, but there's a tender feeling in her chest (and her tone) as she answers quite simply, "Okay." And she leaves them to it.

* * *

Bouquet probably needs to stop sneaking around Shu's house. She should be invisible, at the least, so she won't be caught. But it doesn't feel right for some reason.

She hears Shu and the boys murmuring from one of the rooms. Quietly, she creeps into position to listen better.

"Aniki," she identifies Taichi first. "Are you coming to bed soon?"

"Not just yet," Shu's voice is warmer and gentler than she's ever heard. Even if it isn't directed at her, it makes Bouquet relax. "I have to clean up the mess you three made in the bathroom, among other things."

"You scrubbed us too hard, Aniki!" Something about the way Hibiki says it drives Bouquet to peer around the doorway to the inside of the room. She bites her lip to hold in her giggle when she sees that he's pouting. "You have to sleep with us tonight to make up for it!"

"Oh, I _do_, do I?" Quick as a flash, Shu yanks up the blanket and grabs Hibiki's foot, tickling it immediately. The smaller boy starts up a round of squealing and laughter.

She notices Blue Dragon when the Shadow chuckles at the display. Shu hasn't unsummoned him yet. _Why?_

When Shu releases Hibiki, he promptly holds his arms out. "Alright, good night hug." The trio piles into his arms, their own wrapping around him as three pairs of his hands rest in different spots on his back. He lets out a quiet sigh as he runs his own hand through each of the boys' hair. "My boys… What am I going to do with you?" When he pulls away and lays them back in the bed, there's something soft in his gaze as he tucks them in, pulling the blanket up to their chins. "Now get some sleep, okay? I'll come to bed soon." He pats the mattress.

Bouquet ducks around the edge of the doorway as the boys call out, "Good night, Aniki!"

Since he exits the room with his gaze directed over his shoulder, Shu doesn't take notice of her as he says, "'Night!" He pulls the door closed with a slight click. As soon as it shuts, the smile drops off his face, replaced with something more melancholy. He turns – miraculously away from her – and leans his back against the shut door. He presses his head, tilted slightly up and to the side, against the wood behind him, shutting his eyes…

She goes rigid as a tear tracks out of his closed eye.

Blue Dragon makes a slight noise. Bouquet glances up – and freezes when she realizes the Shadow's red eyes are focused right on her and slightly narrowed. "_Shu_." It's clear from the way he says his User's name; she's caught, and attention is being brought to her presence.

Shu opens his eyes, sad and confused. "What…?"

And then he sees Bouquet. He swears and jerks forward, away from the door. "_Bouquet_? What- What are you doing over here?" Shu swipes at his eyes furiously, trying to erase the evidence even though it's pointless.

She ignores his question, answering with one of her own. "…Why are you crying, Shu?"

He lets out a laugh. There's no humor in it. "I just…" He shakes his head, and she can see that the right side of his face is still wet. "Sometimes I forget how much I missed them. And now that I'm here… I constantly feel like I'm going to lose them, even though there's no reason for it."

Bouquet pulls on his wrist. "Sit with me."

The astonishment that crosses his face fills her with doubt. For a second, she wonders if she's pushed too far, wonders if he'll take off for the woods again. But then his mouth curves into a slight grin, and though it's mostly tinged with sadness, she isn't sure that she's imagining the hint of fondness in it. "Alright."

Once the two of them are seated on the floor, Bouquet speaks up again. "It isn't that unusual to be afraid of losing people who we care about." How many times has she been afraid of losing Shu? And for how many different reasons? "The only ones who can really give you that guarantee are the boys themselves. But there is one thing you can be sure of." She places a hand over her heart. "You're always going to have them with you, right here. No matter what happens or how far apart you may be, your friends and your family are always with you." Bouquet notices blue wings brushing the edge of the floor, and frowns up at Blue Dragon. "What exactly are you doing here again?"

Shu glares at nothing. He looks like he's on the verge of sulking. "He never listens to me now that we don't have anything to fight. He summons himself when nobody's around, and even if I bring him out, he won't unsummon unless he feels like it."

"Pretty accurate." The Shadow shrugs. "Right now, I don't feel comfortable leaving while Shu is so depressed."

"I'm not _depressed_." Shu snaps, but it sounds petulant. He's bordering on a whine now.

"Oh, _really_?" Blue Dragon bends down closer, arms folded. "You're so sad that I'm starting to lose power. I'm half-afraid _you_ won't be able to summon me, let alone me doing it myself. If it isn't depression, what do you call it, then?"

"Blue Dragon." When Bouquet glances back at Shu, she sees that his hands are covering his face. "Please shut up."

"What?" There's something snarky in the Shadow's smirk now. "You don't want me to embarrass you in front of your girl?"

"Stop reading my emo- she isn't my- would you _shut up already_?!" She can tell that Shu's patience is fraying.

Bouquet decides to intervene. "Blue Dragon, don't tease Shu." She returns her attention to her fiancé. "Now, what's all this about you being depressed?"

Shu hesitates, pushing some hair away from his forehead. "It… It's nothing, really… Blue Dragon's just overreacting…" Said Shadow snorts at this, but offers no other comment.

"Come on, Darling," she leans forward, palms pressed to the wooden floor; her right hand is close enough to Shu that she can she feel the heat from his thigh. When Shu glances her way, she winks at him. "You can tell me anything." The way she says it is mostly playful, but she knows he'll hear the sincerity that is laced underneath.

The corners of his mouth lift, his expression soft but distant as he stares at the wall opposite of them. "There're a lot of reasons… But you're probably wondering why I was crying now, right?" When she makes an affirmative noise, he continues. "…The boys are getting big so fast. I don't know what to do. It was like this a lot in the beginning. All three of them ended up becoming orphans through some means or another, so it was like Kluke and I were raising them with Ojiichan, even though we were still little ourselves… As time went on, things changed. It became less like I was raising them, and more like we were brothers, playing around day and night with Kluke chasing after us and keeping us out of trouble. Now that I'm back, it's become this weird mixture of both. Like I'm their parent and their brother. But…" The smile fades completely. "I don't know what to do with them, now that things are like this. I've missed so many things in their lives already, and they're growing up so fast, and…" He took a breath. "It… scares me. I don't know if I'm supposed to be their brother or their parent or both… And even if I try, I don't know if I'm capable of being what they need."

"You shouldn't be upset over _that_. This is just another change that all of you are going through. It's still too early to tell where things will go from here. But it doesn't matter. Do you know why?" She tilts her head to the side. "Because even though I've only been here for a day, I can tell that those three boys love you more than anything else in the world. So it doesn't matter what they need you to be, or what you want to be for them. You care about each other too much for something like that to make any bit of difference. That's the only thing that matters." Bouquet giggles slightly. "Besides, think of how many changes we've been through with all of our friends. Some of them weren't so bad, were they?"

Shu seems stunned, like she's suggested something he hadn't even thought of. But then he smiles, something warm and unreadable in his eyes. "No." She can't help her gasp, or her blush, as his hand lands on top of hers. "Not at all."

**All of scene one and the first three paragraphs of scene two were written December 21st, 2011. Given that they were not written during NaNoWriMo, I took the liberty of editing that part before publishing this (nothing major; mostly, I just switched a few things around). I tried to keep it from happening, but I'm afraid that the change in tone and style is a bit noticeable (or maybe I got lucky and it didn't catch anyone's attention…?).**

**Twenty-four hours or more after I've posted everything I've written so far, I'll begin editing the things that I've missed – grammatical and spelling mistakes or general additions that I forgot to make. Details on these edits will be at the bottom of the edited chapter (and dated, to keep track). If you happen to find anything out of place, feel free to let me know! :)**

**Shu gets half a new outfit. :) Like with the other outfits that are introduced in **_**Kyou**_**, it's a mixture of new and old. His black tank top should be recognizable from Season One; the white t-shirt (oversized because of Shu's shorter stature compared to his grandfather's height at twelve/thirteen) with green (horizontal) stripe (the stripe is almost directly over his chest, if a few inches lower) is completely new, straight from my own imagination; the dark blue ankle- and wristbands (I believe that they **_**are**_** in fact ankle-bands, and that in Tenkai's Episode 20 they were drawn as socks by mistake), brown shoes and dark brown denim shorts are all from Shu's Tenkai outfit. Two pieces of clothing from both of Shu's original outfits are absent (not counting the Tenkai shorts and bands, which replace the ones from Season One); he has no waistcloth and no bandanna. That said, there's still a chance that **_**maybe**_** you **_**might**_** see one or both of those pieces of clothing before this story's over… ;) We'll see how things go.**

**Brand new outfit for Bouquet! :D (Yay!) The description in the story is **_**mostly**_** right, but there were a few things that I missed (and one thing was very important). Like with Shu's outfit, it's a mixture of the new and the old. The things that are the same: The brown shoes, the shorts under her skirt, and the red hairbands are all from Bouquet's usual Tenkai outfit. The thigh-highs are new; though Tsubasa describes them as "red" in-story, a closer description would probably be scarlet. The olive green denim miniskirt, which is very akin to some of the Resistance's outfits in its appearance, is actually an inch shorter than her pink miniskirt from the Tenkai outfit, which makes her shorts more readily visible. The tube top is a **_**lot**_** like Zola's, but the shade of blue is closer to her sleeves and collar from her Season One outfit. The "hooded shawl-jacket-thing", as Tsubasa so eloquently puts it, is a simple piece of clothing in theory, but something I found it insanely difficult to describe (for whatever reason). Essentially, it's a light brown piece of cloth that functions similar to a jacket – it has sleeves, which reach her elbows, and a hood that Bouquet will use sometimes – but its appearance is closer to a shawl. It drapes in the back, leaving a lot of lines and folds (it straightens out a bit when the hood is up, but still remains rather wrinkly), but it's short, so that it stops a few inches above the small of her back (basically, she has the same amount of skin exposed back there as she did with her Tenkai outfit). (There's a picture from the anime which has a similar piece of clothing, and a Blue Dragon fan art that Japanese fan artist Unya drew which inspired the shawl-like cloth in the first place; there's a good chance that I'll post both pictures in a LiveJournal entry so people can have it as a reference.) Now, the important thing I forgot while describing her outfit is the jewelry – along with the necklace, Bouquet is also wearing the bracelets from Tenkai's Episode 8. I'll add this into Tsubasa's description when I begin editing tomorrow.**

**Kai, who is referenced near the beginning, is an OC who has yet to appear (by name) in **_**Precious Memories**_**. Without getting into too much detail, he was a member of Kyouya's gang during childhood, and has basically taken up the position of Talta's resident bully in Kyouya's absence. I won't say whether you'll find out more about what's happened with Kai or Kyouya here, but you'll definitely learn more in future chapters of **_**Precious Memories**_**.**

"_**She's so pretty and my brain got stupid!"**_** Tsubasa's comment here references a line in a rather popular show that you may or may not have heard of. Can anyone figure out what that show is? :)**

**The "miniature rock peak with an excellent view of the Big Moon" is the spot where Shu flees to and then talks with Kluke in Season One's Episode Two, just in case that wasn't clear. I trust that the reason Shu didn't want to go there is fairly obvious; if it isn't, I'm not doing my job as a writer. ;)**

_**12/24/2012 - Minor grammatical**** changes, edits and addtions have been made. The most noticeable is a sentence mentioning Bouquet's bracelets. Also, I apologize for the severe delay in editing.**_


	2. Chapter 2: Familiarity

**Not much to say in the pre-story notes this time. Above this line is where review replies for Chapter 1 will go. And… that's it. Enjoy (I hope). :)**

_Chapter 2: Familiarity_

"Bouquet… E-excuse me… Bouquet?"

Who is that? Who's talking? Who's poking her like that? She moans in discomfort, opening her eyes…

A little boy with an off-white bandanna on his head. Hibiki. "I'm sorry to wake you up," he says, "but we need your help."

Taichi appears in her line of sight, a hopeful look on his face. "Please?"

"Alright, I'm up." She yawns, sitting up and rubbing at her eyes. What time is it, anyway? While she doesn't sleep into the afternoon or anything, Bouquet hasn't been waking up very early since she left the Resistance. "What's the trouble?"

Tsubasa clears his throat before telling her, "Aniki won't come to breakfast. We've called him five times."

_That_ wakes her up all the way. "Where is he? Do you know?" Is it about last night? And if it is, _which_ part of last night? Does it have to do with the outburst during dinner, or what he told her about the boys? Is it something else?

The boys share a look. Bouquet can't decipher what it means. Eventually, Tsubasa quietly tells her. "…He's in Kluke's old room."

…Oh. She says it aloud, "Oh." She can see that the trio is suddenly uncomfortable. There's no way for them to know just how twisted up things are between her, Kluke, and Shu. Could it be that they've figured it out on their own? She supposes it doesn't matter; she can figure out how much they know later. Bouquet steels herself. "Show me where it is, then."

* * *

There's a moment of hesitation as she stands in front of the door, poised to knock with the back of her hand. She shuffles her feet a bit. Then she shakes off any doubts and knocks. "Shu?"

No answer. Not even to tell her to leave. Frowning, she tries the knob – and is surprised to find it unlocked. _Why didn't the boys just go inside?_ She mentally shrugs, then calls out, "I'm coming inside." There is still no reply. With a little sigh, she enters.

Kluke's room is just as she would expect – the majority of what fills it is practical, and any furnishings are a mishmash of girly and mechanical. A pang goes through Bouquet. What with everything that's between the two girls and Shu, people forget – herself included – that sometimes Bouquet misses Kluke, who is, despite everything, her friend.

On the bed, which is covered with a red check quilt and a wide variety of differently embroidered pillows, sits Shu. His head is down; he seems to be looking at something yellow that she can't make out, clutching it close with both hands.

Before she even has a chance to say anything, he starts speaking. "I've been forgetting, you know. I keep forgetting and calling her to meals." He can only mean Kluke. "But… For the first time, yesterday I didn't call her by mistake. I didn't forget for dinner."

Dinner. When Bouquet had eaten with them. She doesn't even know where to _begin_ trying to figure that out.

Shu lifts his head slightly; his eyes are distant, and though he's smiling, it is heavy with sadness. "I don't know why I come in here. It just makes me miss her."

"I-I know what you mean." Bouquet instantly regrets saying anything. Shu's eyes lock onto her; the open curiosity on his face makes her squirm. "I-it's just… She's all over the place in here, you know? From the lacy pillow or two on the bed to the tools lined up by size on the table… Even though she's far away, it's like standing right next to her. And when it's like that…" Her voice catches as that pang goes through her again. "…it's hard not to miss her."

A little of the sadness leaves his smile. "Yeah… I don't think I could've put it any better than that."

_Probably more eloquently, though._ However, his words offer some reassurance, and she finds herself taking a few steps towards him. She points at the object in his hand. "What is that?"

"This?" Shu seems surprised to be asked. He glances down at it, then after a beat, holds it out as he says, "It's a stuffed Mecha Robo doll." With his explanation and the better view, it becomes clear that it can be nothing other than a Servant Mecha Robo, with its yellow head and silver arms. There is a blue "1" on its chest.

It makes her grin. "That seems like something Kluke would have."

Shu's sides jerk, like he's holding in either a laugh or a sob. "There's another one, too." He moves aside one of the pillows, revealing another doll that is identical to the other, save for having a blue "2" instead. "Kluke… didn't pick these out, though." Something melancholy has entered his tone again. "They were gifts."

"Who gave them to her?" Bouquet asks carefully. She can tell, instinctually, that this might be a sensitive topic. "…Was it you?" That would explain why he's sad about it.

"No, not me." He shakes his head, then glances at her searchingly. When he seems to arrive at a decision, he tells her, "…Kluke's parents."

…_Oh. Oh, Kluke…_ "I see."

"Yeah." Shu swallows hard. "Kluke's mother was a lot like her – she loved machines – so every year, for Kluke's birthday, she made her one of these Mecha Robo dolls. Or… that had been the plan, anyway." Shu leans back, looks up at the ceiling as he talks. "When Kluke was two, her parents joined an expedition to see if water could be restored to their old home, Luminas. A war that was going on at the time had gotten close to that region, though… But they had no way to know that. Still, they left Kluke here with us." He returns his gaze to the doll. "A few weeks later, the group came back. Most of them had gotten killed in a skirmish. Kluke's parents… were among those that didn't come back." His hands tighten on the doll. "So she only ever got two of these."

Long moments pass as Bouquet thinks. She can tell from the way Shu exhales that he thinks she's decided not to say anything response. Eventually, though, she lets out a gusty sigh. "Well, it looks like we've got a lot of work ahead of us."

Shu gives her a confused look. "We… do?"

"Of course we do," she says, shrugging, like it's obvious. "It might be a little tricky, and we'll have to compare it with the originals, but…" She leans forward, hands on her hips, and winks. "We only have four months to make eleven of those little dolls."

It takes a second for what she's said to sink in. When it does, his eyes get wide and shiny. "Bouquet…"

"I'm pretty good at sewing, so I should be able to shoulder most of the work." She takes a seat on the bed beside him. For a second, she admires the considerable softness of the quilt before continuing, nudging him slightly. "But I expect you to pitch in, too, Darling."

He's still a little stunned, but then he blinks and it fades away, gratitude taking its place. "Count on it."

* * *

Shu is only just sitting down at the kitchen table when Tsubasa announces solemnly, "The boys and I have come to a decision, Aniki."

"You have, hm?" He tries not to sound amused, knowing it could come off the wrong way. It's hard, though; seeing Tsubasa so serious is somewhat endearing. "Let's hear it, then." This could be anything, really, ranging from a life-changing decision to what they plan to do for the day. In case it's the latter, Shu has already decided to take this with a grain of salt.

The trio looks at each other nervously. He can tell they're mulling over whether to spill or not. _Mud,_ he thinks, reaching for the glass of water near his plate. _They've probably made a mud fort in the living room again._ Now older than he was when they previously attempted such a feat, and not participating in the act himself this time, Shu has to concede that the thought is not as appealing when you're the one who's in charge of cleaning it up.

Tsubasa turns his attention back to Shu and, with just as much seriousness as he'd used initially, announces, "We've decided to call Bouquet 'Anego'."

Shu chokes on the water.

The girl in question only smiles at her plate.

"Wh-what?" Shu finally manages to splutter. No. _No_. No, no, no. _Just when I thought I had a handle on everything again…_ "Why?"

"Well…" Tsubasa fidgets. "You and Bouquet are engaged-"

"That's partly right, if you want to be really literal about it." Shu interrupts sourly. Bouquet coughs delicately.

"-so we decided that it would only be right to call her that."

"We _did_ think about using 'Aneki', but that purple Shadow was calling her 'Anego', so we thought it'd be a good idea."

"Purple Shadow…? _Bouquet_." She shrinks back from the stern tone suddenly in his voice. "It's barely past seven in the morning. What're you summoning Hippopotamus for?"

Meekly, she replies, "I just wanted to show him around the house…"

"Good grief," Shu rubs a hand down his face. "It's more of a circus in here than usual today." He decides to table the bit about the boys calling Bouquet "Anego"; it isn't a discussion he wants to have right now – mostly because he doesn't want to do it in front of Bouquet for obvious reasons, but also because after earlier, thinking about Kluke right now (which he'll have to do in this case) makes him feel like he's plunging into a deep dark hole. More importantly, there's something else that takes priority right now. "So, before things get too out of hand, I'm just going to ask. Bouquet," she seems surprised at being addressed, "last night you said you had a message from Primula. You also said you were going to tell me today, right?"

"Always straight to business, huh, Darling?" For a second, despite her smile, Shu thinks there might be sadness in her eyes… But then it's gone, and she's continuing, "To be honest, it's very brief. Mostly, Primula said this is because she isn't at liberty to say. But she needs you to come to Nirvana. She did say it has to do with Rächer, but that was as far as she went. Also…" Bouquet pauses for a moment, biting at her lip, then pushes on. "Marumaro said I should tell you that he needs you. He said you'd know what it meant."

_Marumaro…_ "I do." Shu nods. He doesn't let himself dwell on his last conversation with the Devee boy too much – thinking of it hurts, and makes him feel lonely to boot – but now is not the time to push it from his mind. And a promise is a promise. "Alright, then. I can't just up and leave right this second, but if this is important, I can't stay longer than necessary. Ojiichan, I'm going to take a half day." His grandfather hums in the affirmative. "Bouquet, at one in the afternoon or so, you and I will leave and head for Nirvana. Sound good?"

"W-wait!" Hibiki protests, sounding anxious. "Y-you don't mean you're leaving, do you?" Three little distressed faces are suddenly staring at him.

He rubs Hibiki's head, feeling his hair through the bandana. "Not for long, kiddo. I'll be back before you even notice I'm gone. Okay?" But it isn't okay, he can tell. If anything, they look more troubled than ever. He'll have to take them aside for a talk before he sets off. "Come on," he grabs his fork, "let's finish up eating. We have an hour to get to the forge."

* * *

He's still getting the fire hot when he hears Bouquet calling him. "Shu!"

"Bouquet?" Confused, he tosses in one more log before turning. She stands in front of the entrance, panting and out of breath. He's preparing to tell her that she can't stick around the forge all day – he'll never get any work done if she's here; just Tsubasa _mentioning_ her was enough to make him burn himself for the first time in seven years – when he sees a square-ish bundle in her hands, wrapped in pink cloth. "What is that?"

She grins up at him, holding out the object and telling him just as he realizes what it is, "A bento! When I asked, Tsubasa said you didn't have any lunch with you, so I made it for your break."

He fights against a blush. _This girl…_ "I'm heading back at noon, you know."

"Oh…" She looks so _devastated_.

And even though he knows it's stupid, even though he knows better than to let the walls down, even though his heart and mind are trapped in a dead-end – seeing that disappointment on her face is just too unbearable, and so he takes it from her. "I'll eat it before I head back. Promise."

"Really?" Bouquet brightens immediately.

"Yep. And…" He shuffles his feet, inexplicably nervous. "Thank you."

"You're welcome!" She giggles as she backs up, giddy all of a sudden. Then she waves at him broadly. "See you back at the house!" She's still waving as she hops away.

He blinks after her – and, even though he should know better, Shu laughs.

* * *

Shu has only just made it inside, kicking the sand from his shoes, when he hears Tsubasa tentatively call out, "Hey, Aniki…?"

The tone makes him pause. Something is… not wrong, precisely. But definitely off. He can't exactly tell what's going on, but this is not the normal hesitation that he hears from the younger boy. "What's up?" He keeps his voice normal, light, as he approaches, hoping that it will be encouragement for more words.

Tsubasa glances at the door to the living room. "There's… somebody here to see you. I think you might know him, but… I don't know for sure. He didn't give his name."

_Him._ A boy, or a man, depending on their age. Only one person, or Tsubasa would've said "they". Shu runs through the possibilities in his mind. _It won't be Marumaro; for whatever reason, he requested that his turn for guarding Primula be extended. Even if he's changed his mind about what it was that made him decide that, he wouldn't go back on his word, and chances are he'll wait until I get there to try and do anything about it. There's a reasonable chance that it's Jiro, although it beats me why he'd show up without a letter or anything. But there are a few reasons I can think that he'd stop by, even if it's just for the sake of seeing me; I think he's still a little freaked out that I technically might've been dead for a minute or two during the battle with Rudolf, and I could see him wanting to check up on me and make sure I'm still breathing._ Shu's mouth twitches; if it is Jiro, considering that the other boy used to fight with him so viciously, Shu finds the fact that he'd be concerned both touching and hilarious. He sobers as another possibility occurs to him. _There's also a more unlikely chance that it's Rogi or Andropov. I'm pretty much okay with both of them right now, I think, but things haven't always been like that; there's less chance of them showing up because of that. But if it _is_ one of them, and they showed up alone, then something big is happening._

"Aniki…?" Tsubasa's voice breaks him out of his thoughts, and he realizes that he's been standing and thinking for a while.

"Don't worry about it, kiddo." He ruffles Tsubasa's hair. "I'll go check things out, okay?"

The doorknob feels unusually cold in his hands, especially considering the heat. A sense of unease strikes him, but he shoves it down. With one last glance back at Tsubasa, to whom he offers a reassuring smile, Shu swings the door open and enters the living room.

"Hello…?" Shu calls out questioningly.

He doesn't see the person right away, his brain taking a moment to catch up with his eyes. And when it registers who it is, the shock is instantaneous. Jerking back with a startled gasp, he grabs behind him, gripping the doorframe slightly above his head like a lifeline. When he speaks, his voice is nothing more than a hoarse whisper. "_Noi_."

"Shu." Just hearing his voice is startling. It's the same as he remembers. Those gem-bright green eyes hold Shu carefully in their gaze. "I thought you'd be glad to see me." His voice is still warm, as it had become in the last leg of their journey, but something is there that hasn't been apparent since the beginning – reluctance. And perhaps a bit of distance.

"I- I _am_ glad to see you, it's just-" Shu's voice breaks and trembles. He fights for control. "I thought… You told me you couldn't stay."

Something flickers in Noi's eyes. "The circumstances have changed."

"Changed how?" Shu, approaching the table Noi sits at, has a feeling he knows where this is going. He's already played this game with Noi too many times to be unfamiliar with it.

"I…" Noi falters, glancing away momentarily. "I don't know if I should say-"

And Shu can't deal with it, not after the strain of having Bouquet thrust upon him yesterday, close and with no way to distance himself from her. "_Why_, Noi?" He leans in close, hands pressed to the table. "Why are you doing this? After everything we've been through, you're back to not telling me anything again?" _I thought we were past this,_ Shu thinks but doesn't say, even though he's tempted to. When Noi doesn't answer, and continues to not look at him, Shu disappointedly asks, "What about Rotta and Hildegard, then-?"

"You want to know why?!" Noi whirls on him. Shu feels his pulse hike with his surprise; Noi is nearly always calm. "My- my position as chairman has been revoked. I have no idea what's happened to Rottares or Hildegard." The smaller boy leans back in the chair, arms folded. "There. Happy?"

"Hardly," Shu manages after a moment. "Who revoked your position? Who has that kind of authority over you? Why didn't Rotta and Hildegard do anything? Why did you come here-?"

"Why did I come?" Noi locks onto him with those piercing eyes. "You _know_ why. Unless… what you said before doesn't hold up anymore." And for the first time, there's a note of fear and uncertainty in his voice.

The words call him back to that moment three months ago, after the battle but before he'd known that Noi was leaving…

~.~.~.

"_We did it, Noi," Shu threw his arms around the smaller boy, despite his squawks of protest, in a moment of pure elation. "We really did it!"_

"_Yeah, yeah…" Noi mumbled, pushing at Shu's arms. When he freed himself from Shu's grip, Noi gave him a considering look. "So, what are you going to do now, anyway?"_

_Shu laughed nervously. "A bit sudden to be asking that, isn't it?" The question was still in Noi's eyes, though – and was Shu imagining the desperation? (He wasn't. But he wouldn't have a clue what it might mean until later.) "I don't know… I haven't really thought about it, I guess…"_

_Noi frowned. "I see." He seemed down._

_Grinning warmly, Shu pressed a hand to Noi's shoulder. "I still don't know what I'm going to do next. But I want you to know that wherever I am, you'll always have a place with me and whoever I might be with."_

_Noi seemed genuinely surprised by the answer. Then he returned Shu's smile. But… there was something tight – maybe even forced – at the corners of his mouth. "I'll keep it in mind."_

~.~.~.

"Of course it does," Shu says now vehemently. "Even if I'm put out that you won't tell me anything, that doesn't affect what I said. That was a promise, Noi, even if I didn't say the exact words. It doesn't just… _expire_."

"It doesn't, huh?" Noi's smile is sad. "Still got some sympathy left for a Superior Lifeform like me?"

"What's gotten into you, saying something like that?" Shu makes his voice tender, though he can't keep out the hurt, as he reaches out to smooth the younger boy's hair back. Disappointment stabs at his chest once more when Noi recoils. "What did they do to you up there?"

The strain on Noi's face is clear. "I can't tell you. It- it's not like before, though. I _will_ tell you if you want to know, I swear, it's just-" He breaks off, and Shu is surprised at what he sees in those green eyes – shame. "I _want_ to tell you. I do. But I can't yet. I need a little time. So please don't ask me." Noi's head lowers, and his hands clench into fists on the table. "I-I know that I don't have any right, coming into your home and asking for a place to stay. But I swear, if you really don't want me here, I'll leave and figure something else out-"

Shu pulls him into a hug, holding him close. "Oh, Noi… After everything, how could you possibly think I'd feel that way?" He takes a breath. "You're my friend, Noi. You will always, _always_, be my friend. And there's nothing in this world or any other that could ever change that."

There's a moment where nothing happens. And then Noi's arms go around him as well, small hands latching onto his shirt. "By the _Ancestors_," Noi sounds irritated, but Shu knows him well enough to instantly realize that it is only a cover for the relief underneath. "You and your hugs."

* * *

"So, to Nirvana, eh?" Noi comments as he scours through the kitchen cabinets for something sweet. After the first minute or two, Shu gave up on trying to stop him. Noi still seems a little defensive and hesitant, and the last impression Shu wants to give is that he doesn't want the boy here. If the price for that is (apparently) his food supply, then so be it. "Just like the old days."

Shu laughs. "That's one way to think of it, sure." Since Noi is intent on devouring the contents of his kitchen, Shu decides that any (half-hopeful) objections would be a lost cause and snatches an apple off the counter. Turning the red fruit in his hand with consideration, Shu resolves to tell him why he's leaving Talta; even if Noi won't say anything, that doesn't mean Shu can't. "Primula and Marumaro need my help, and it's important. From the sound of things, it has something to do with Rächer."

Noi doesn't cease his search for sweet food, but he does sound curious as he asks, "What's Rächer?"

"To be honest, I don't know much. Nobody does. They kidnapped Primula a little over two months ago, and I managed to get her back, but we haven't been able to find out much about them. A few people suspect that they might be some Grand Kingdom loyalists that banded together, but there's no evidence of that. Despite the fact that one of our group is taking monthly turns guarding her, White Brigade has doubled security, which is probably a good idea considering what happened."

"So that means Marumaro is the one guarding Primula now?" He tries to sound nonchalant, but Shu picks up on Noi's eagerness. "He'll be there when we get there?"

Shu smiles into the apple, even though Noi has his back turned. "Already decided to come with us, hm?" Noi splutters in response. Shu decides to go easy on him. "Yeah, Marumaro will be there when we get to Nirvana."

"Shu?" He glances to the side at the sound of Bouquet calling his name. "Who are you talking to?"

Noi freezes his movements. Kneeling behind the counter, he's blocked from Bouquet's view. But Shu can still see his eyes light up at the sound of her voice.

Shu takes a bite of the apple, grinning. "An unexpected visitor." His sides jerk with silent laughter at the glare Noi shoots him.

"Really?" Bouquet, interested, peers around the kitchen, looking around for the so-called "visitor". "Who is it?"

"Someone you know very well." He narrowly avoids snickering when Noi rolls his eyes. Seemingly tired of the guessing game, the smaller boy breathes out through his nose in exasperation before pushing away from the counter, moving to stand where Bouquet can see him.

Bouquet promptly gasps, going rigid.

Noi snorts, folding his arms and leaning back against the counter. "Not even a hello, Paipai?"

She blinks, then squeals and rushes towards him. "Noi-chan!_!_" Bouquet embraces him firmly, despite Noi's noise of protest. Shu can see moisture at the corners of her closed eyes. "I can't believe it! You're actually here…!"

"Good grief. No need to smother me, Paipai." Noi ducks out of her grip.

"Oh, you!" Bouquet attempts a scowl. It's only half convincing at best. "That's the way you're treating me after so long? And I _do_ have a name, you know, and it isn't Paipai."

Noi lets out a single, sharp laugh. "I'm teasing you. It's good to see you." He shoots her a more sincere look. "Bouquet." She gives in and smiles.

Bouquet glances up at Shu. "Looks like it's just the three of us again."

Shu is surprised at the realization. He thinks back to last April, those first few days with Noi, who wouldn't say a word about anything important and demanded everything in return. _We've come so far since then…_ Shu grins, placing a hand on both of their shoulders. "Looks that way."

It occurs to him now, that even if Noi is being recalcitrant, even if he's feeling torn about Bouquet, the two of them are still there for him. They are still his friends. He is not alone. And for the first time, Shu finds himself looking forward to the journey to Nirvana.

* * *

"Are you sure about that?" Shu ceases packing for the moment, looking at Bouquet with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah. Taichi just gave it to me and took off for the village. Here, take a look." She hands off the note to him.

Dropping the change of clothes on his bed, Shu takes it from her and starts reading:

_Shu,_

_I'm sorry to tell you this, but something's come up at work and I won't be home to say goodbye. So, if you can spare the time, please delay your departure for another half hour or more, then meet me at the village entrance. If you are not able to do so, then I understand. In case I don't have the chance to say it in person, take care of yourself. I'll see you soon._

_-Fushira_

Folding it evenly, Shu tucks the note into his front pocket. "At least a half hour, huh…" He glances at the window; the sun is shining bright, letting its light into his bedroom, and the sky is a cloudless blue. "Go get Noi for me, will you? Tell him we're taking a quick detour."

* * *

It's with mixed feelings that Shu proceeds deeper into the forest, Bouquet and Noi close behind him. There's a sense of apprehension; he hasn't been to this particular spot since he was nine. When he left with Zola, he'd always felt guilty for not seeing it one more time. Despite that, he's never come here since his return to Talta Village. In addition, he feels skittish and a little shy, bringing someone to the location who isn't one of his childhood friends. Mingled with that is a deep discomfort – most of his memories relating to this place are intertwined with Kluke, and saying he feels awkward bringing Bouquet here is an understatement. Twice he's thought about turning around, and the only thing that's kept him from doing so is his staunch refusal to leave Talta again without coming here.

He ducks under the low tree branch that has not budged an inch since his last visit – and then they've arrived.

Bouquet lets out an awed breath, a look of wonder on her face as she turns in place, taking in the sight. "It's so lovely here…"

Shu smiles. "It is." Despite his misgivings, he glances around, taking in the familiar sight. The rush of the small waterfall untwists a knot deep in his chest, and the sight of the pond that he's swam in so many times puts him at ease. "I used to come here all the time as a kid."

Noi lets out a sharp laugh. "And what are you now?"

The smaller boy grumbles when Shu rubs his head. "A really big kid."

"Please," Noi snorts at him. "You're not even taller than Bouquet anymore."

"You live in such a nice place, Darling…" Bouquet sighs, interrupting the boys' exchange. She's kneeling by the pond. "You're so lucky to have grown up somewhere as wonderful as this."

He picks up a stone, testing the size of it, before sending it flying with a flick of his wrist. It skips on the water's surface four times before sinking. The corners of his mouth twitch. _Still got it._ "I love it here. Even when I wanted to leave and travel around the world, I still loved living here. It was hard leaving with Zola when the time came. I always felt like there was a piece of me left here, and I'd never be able to get it back until I came home."

Bouquet tilts her head up, towards Shu. There's a curiosity and eagerness in her gaze. "I know you told me that you wanted to stop Nene to end everyone's suffering, but… If staying here meant that much to you, what was it that convinced you to leave?"

With a small sigh, Shu stares at the waterfall for a long time. The water is clear and sparkling in the sunlight; he's struck with an emotion he can't identify as it occurs to him that while this favorite spot of his has remained the same, Shu himself has irrevocably changed. Finally, he answers, "Because there was no choice. I unwittingly awakened my Shadow when Grand Kingdom attacked Talta. Zola tried to warn me that once they knew about Blue Dragon, they'd attack my village until there was nothing left. I didn't listen the first time, and what she said came true. So in the end, I left in order to protect Talta, even though I wanted to stay home more than ever."

"Oh, Shu…" Bouquet murmurs, voice full of sympathy; it causes his chest to ache, and he has to look away from her.

Noi sees this. But he doesn't anything. Shu lets out a quiet breath of relief. _Thanks, kiddo._ The smaller boy glances around. "This spot in particular must mean a lot to you, though," he says thoughtfully. "I can see it on your face."

_Smart boy._ "Yeah, it does. I spent a lot of time here, so there're a lot of memories connected to it." His eyes move, taking in everything with a new light, half in the present and half in the past. There's the tree that he fell from, Kluke's piercing scream ringing in his ears as he plummeted towards the ground and sliced open his ulnar artery on a branch; that edge of the pond, not too far from where Bouquet stands, is where he taught the trio how to swim; up above is where he fell into the waterfall, screaming Kluke's name as he went down; a little ways down the river is where he practiced for the river race, Kluke and the boys cheering him on; the patch of grass where he and Kluke had a picnic for their ninth birthday. So many different memories… "Did you ever watch me over here?"

"H-how…?" Noi is startled. "H-how did you find out what I told Rudolf? And how did you figure out that when I said that, I meant…?"

Shu lifts his right shoulder in a single shrug. "You're not as discreet as you think you are, Noi. Bouquet heard what you said to Rudolf," she giggles sheepishly at this. "I figured out the rest from there." To be honest, deciphering that Noi has been watching him in particular for years was instinct more than anything else. Somehow, when Bouquet told him, Shu had just _known_.

"You're sharper than people give you credit for." Noi flushes as he says, "To answer your question, no. I'd never seen this area until today." Still seeming embarrassed, the smaller boy quickly changes the subject. "So, now that you're back, do you come here often?"

_Just had to ask that one, didn't you?_ "Not really."

"Why not?" Bouquet asks. She almost seems upset at the notion. "It's so pretty here!"

"It is. It's just…" Shu trails off, lifting up a hand to rub at the back of his neck. "Like I said, I have a lot of memories in this place. It's hard being here when everything is so familiar, but I'm different from how I used to be," he echoes his earlier thoughts. It's difficult, putting his feelings into words. "In a way, I've been avoiding coming here, I guess. So I wouldn't have to face it."

"You're here now, though," Noi points out gently. Perhaps he's picked up on how uncomfortable Shu is, and he's giving him a break because of it. "What changed your mind?"

"I left here once without saying goodbye to this place. I couldn't do it a second time. And…" He's just realizing it as he says, "I wanted to share this place with the two of you." His face heats up. He feels vulnerable.

Bouquet stands so suddenly that Shu flinches back in surprise, and she begins to rapidly stride towards him and Noi. He's just about to ask her what's going on when she flings her arms around him. He goes rigid, swearing mentally. For a moment, Shu considers ducking out of her grasp. He knows that he should. But then all he can think of is how _tired_ he is of pushing Bouquet away, and so he relaxes against her instead, returning the hug lightly. She's warm in his arms, her hair tickling his nose and smelling of flower shampoo. "Thank you, Shu," Bouquet says softly near his ear. "It means a lot to me, that you'd bring me to such an important place."

"That goes for me, too- Paipai, what are you _doing_?!" Noi flails as Bouquet drags him into the hug, and Shu's body quakes with repressed laughter.

"Group hug, Noi-chan." She pats Noi's head. The action is only half serious.

"Warn me first next time, will you?" The boy sighs. "You humans are always so clingy. Especially you, Shu." Even as he says it, Noi is still bringing his arms up around Shu and Bouquet.

"Excuses, excuses." Shu quips. Then he leans back from the hug with a grin, eyeing the top of Bouquet's head. "And I'm still a centimeter taller than Bouquet."

* * *

"It's… not normally this empty, is it?" Noi asks as the three of them wander through the deserted marketplace.

"No." Shu doesn't even bother to hide the tremble in his voice. Something is happening. "It's not like this at all." He isn't sure that his hometown is necessarily in danger, though. There had been no sounds of an attack, and there's no sign of any kind of damage. Everything feels the way that it should, except that no one is here. Despite telling himself that there has to be a reasonable explanation for this, his heart is pounding in his chest.

"This is so strange…" Bouquet murmurs, her hand curled just underneath her mouth. "Where did everybody go?"

_That seems to be the question, doesn't it?_ He pauses as they near the forge. "Ojiichan!" He hollers into the empty workplace he shares with his grandfather. "Tsubasa! Taichi! Hibiki!" Not a single sound in response. With a sigh, he pulls back. "What on earth is-?"

"Shu." Noi. There's something in his voice that demands attention. "Look."

He first checks where Noi is looking, then turns his own gaze in the same direction, towards the village entrance.

Shu sees what caught Noi's eye, and his breath catches in his throat. _Oh my…_ He takes off at a run with Noi and Bouquet calling after him.

As soon as he reaches the village gates, he can see them clearly – lined up in two rows, one line each on his left and his right, are nearly all of the villagers. Some hold signs that tell him to have a safe journey, while others begin waving handkerchiefs now that they can see him approaching.

When he reaches the end of the lines, he turns around and looks at them. Face after face wearing a smile, a few with a tear or two on their cheeks. Bouquet and Noi come to stand beside him, watching the scene unfold with something akin to wonder.

Most of Talta Village has come to see him off. Shu feels his throat closing up. His eyes sting and his face becomes hot.

Fushira steps out from the crowd, and Shu's heart skips a beat. His feet are suddenly moving without any conscious effort, bringing him closer to his grandfather, and then he's sprinting towards the old man. They reach for each other at the same moment, and then the two of them are hugging for the first time in a very long while.

His grandfather's voice is low, but Shu hears each and every syllable. "There are no words," he says heavily, "for just how proud I am of you." Shu tries to head it off, hold it back, but it's too late – the sob explodes out of him loudly, his whole body jerking with the force of it. He's embarrassed to be openly crying in front of the whole village, but Fushira's hold on him only tightens, saying with action rather than words that it doesn't matter to him whether his grandson cries or not, that it's okay. "You're growing into a fine young man, Shu. I wish I could have been there for all of it-"

"I'm sorry," Shu blubbers, voice watery. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here." He hates doing it in front of everyone like this, is honestly humiliated by the whole ordeal, but what Fushira said has brought Shu's inner walls crashing down, and he's too much of an emotional wreck right now to filter anything he says. His eyes are too blurry to see anything. He prays his nose isn't running.

"Don't apologize for what you can't control. I know why you had to leave." Fushira runs a hand through Shu's hair. "I've never held that against you, and neither should you. You did what you had to do." A soft chuckle follows. "And it seems that you've found some fine companions on your way."

Fushira can only mean Bouquet; he's barely met Noi, and only knows his other friends from conversations in passing. The thought only makes Shu cry harder.

"Now you're setting off on another journey," his grandfather continues. "And even though I'll miss you terribly, I'm glad that you're out and seeing the world instead of staying cooped up at home. The only thing I ask is that you be careful." Fushira hesitates, but then he carries on. "I'm… not always the best with words. Even with you, despite the fact that you're certainly the easiest person for me to talk to. But last time you left, I didn't have the chance to say it, and I refuse to make that mistake now." He squeezes Shu's shoulder. "I love you, Shu. Very much."

Shu sniffles before bashfully getting out, "I love you, too." Shu's a little shy about saying it – he and Fushira both have difficulty talking about their feelings, and usually prefer to let actions speak louder than words anyway – but the words are easy to get out, because he means it with all of his heart.

Fushira pulls back, wipes away the tears covering Shu's face. "You take care of yourself, alright?"

Shu nods, scrubbing at his eyes with the back of his hand. "I will."

"Off with you, now," he pats Shu's cheek lightly, smiling wistfully. "Your friends are waiting for you."

Unable to help himself, Shu gives his grandfather another, quicker embrace. "See you soon." Letting go, he dashes to where Bouquet and Noi still stand-

-then stops. He can't leave yet. Not without saying something first. Shu turns back around, swallowing hard at the sight of the townspeople. He's grown up with all of them surrounding him, even if it was just a person in passing. He is one of them. And they deserve more than the sight of his departing backside. This time, he will do right by them. "Thank you, everyone, for coming to say goodbye." His voice sounds small. Clearing his throat, he wills himself to be heard. "It… means a lot to me. I'm sorry that last time I didn't… give you that chance…" He trails off, chest aching as he recalls that morning he left two years ago, remembers the way that the rising sun had silhouetted Zola and Jiro. At the moment, he had felt such immense distrust towards that pair, coupled with a fury aimed at them that bordered on dislike; the two of them who he now holds so dear and close to his heart. "The fact that you would come anyway really does mean a lot. So thank you, again, for being here. And I promise that this time, I'll come back home soon."

The crowd lets loose with a cheer, filled with farewells and declarations that he will be missed. Several people wave, and as he returns it, something strikes Shu as being odd. He can't quite place what it is-

It hits him with a brutal clarity that snatches his breath away. _The boys aren't here._ His hand slows, comes to a stop in the air, and all he can do is hope that his crushed devastation isn't etched all over his face. _They… didn't come to see me off…_ He never expected the whole village to be waiting at the gates to wish him well, but he _had_ expected to see the ones who mattered most. And of those, only Fushira showed up.

Steeling himself, Shu resumes waving, trying to carefully hide his emotions. _They probably got caught up playing. You can see them when you get back._ All of the things that he'd wanted to say flash through his mind now – _don't forget to take baths, do your homework, take care of each other and Ojiichan, I'll be back soon, be good,_ and since he'd said to his grandfather, _I love you._ And then the boys would blush and mumble embarrassedly about him not saying it in front of other people because they're "not babies anymore", and Shu would laugh and hug them tighter. The image shatters with the reality that this hasn't happened and will not happen, and it feels like the broken shards are cutting at his heart.

After one last round of goodbyes, the crowd begins to dissipate, and Shu turns back toward Noi and Bouquet. He doesn't even get the chance to start heading towards their destination before Noi has suddenly pounced on him, speaking quickly and urgently. "What is it? I can see it in your eyes. What's wrong?" Noi's own eyes are tracking Shu with concerned intensity.

"I'm fine." Shu tries, but even he can hear the dejection in his voice. Seeing Noi's unconvinced expression, Shu sighs and decides to come clean. "…My friends didn't show up to say goodbye. I'm sure they forgot or had a good reason, but-"

"You wanted to see them one last time. Like how you showed us the waterfall, right?" Bouquet's sympathy nearly does him in. God, he's going to end up crying again.

Not much louder than a whisper, he says, "Sort of like that."

"Shu…" Bouquet lays a hand on his arm. Against his better judgment, he leans into the touch.

The softness of Bouquet's palm gives him an unexpected strength. He straightens, shaking off as much of his longing for the trio as he can. "Don't worry. I'll be okay in a little while. We should get going; it's going to take some time to get to Nirvana." He smiles in what is hopefully a reassuring manner. Bouquet does seem a little more at ease as she lets go of him, and Noi as well, so he supposes he must have been somewhat successful. Pulling at the straps of his backpack, Shu starts walking; Noi and Bouquet keep pace with him. "If things go well, I think we should be able to make some good progress before nightfall-"

He freezes in his tracks, listening out. He isn't sensing any ominous presences, but the sixth sense, so to speak, that he gets from being a Shadow User is often not reliable. Noi shoots a look at him, baffled but unworried. "What's up, Shu-?"

_There!_ It had been slight, but he picked up the sound of gravel being disturbed. He whirls around. "Who's there?" Not quite shouting, Shu's voice is still loud and imposing. He looks around for signs of anyone or anything…

A flash of color directs his eyes to a medium-sized boulder. It's gone now, but Shu is sure that there was orange clothing peeking out from the side of the rock just a second ago. "Whoever you are, come out of hiding now!" He nudges at Blue Dragon with his mind; he doesn't know for sure what or who this is, but it's better to be prepared than not.

And then, stepping out from behind the stone are three very familiar boys.

"What- what are you three doing out here?!" Wanting to see them is suddenly forgotten in the face of brotherly, overprotective anger. "The village outskirts are dangerous! There are worse things out here than Cockatrices, you know! Why aren't you home?!"

Hibiki and Taichi are suddenly meek, but Tsubasa's face is set with stubborn determination. "We've decided something. And we had to come here to tell you."

"You could've just told me if you'd come to say goodbye." Shu snaps at them, and even he can hear the hurt note that enters his voice.

The trio flinches; they've heard it as well. But Tsubasa is still firm and unwavering as he says, "We're coming with you."

And the world tips under his feet. It must be, Shu thinks, because everything suddenly seems wrong and confusing. "You're… coming with me?" He can't even comprehend it.

"We're coming with you!" Tsubasa repeats, seemingly frustrated. "To- to wherever it is that you're going-!"

"_No_!_!_" Everyone jumps when Shu shouts. His temper isn't the best, but rarely is he so furious. "No! Absolutely _not_!_!_"

Tsubasa is unsure now. Taichi and Hibiki clutch at the older boy's arms. "But Aniki-"

"No!" Shu doesn't give him a chance to finish. "Go home! Right now!"

"We won't!" Hibiki yells from behind Tsubasa, who looks stunned (as does Taichi). "We… we aren't going anywhere but with you, Aniki!"

"Th-that's right!" Taichi stutters, incredibly nervous. "We… we c-can't just sit around waiting for you to come home again. It doesn't matter if you'll be back soon, because once was enough!"

"It isn't safe for you!" Shu grinds his teeth. "You have no idea what it's like out there! Just go home and wait for me-"

"Don't you _get it_?!" Tsubasa shakes his head. "A few months ago you almost lost your life to save the world, and we had to find out you were okay from a _letter_!_!_!" Fury and pain are mixed into the shout. "Do you have any idea what that was like? The sky turned gold, and that Knight Master told us you were fighting up there for all of us, and all we could do was hope you could feel us cheering you on." Something in Shu gives away as he hears it; he still can't explain it, but… He'd _felt_ the trio's hope for him in his head, like a soothing hand on his forehead or a faint warmth that passed over his heart, as he fought with Rudolf and tried not to look down to see how much of his body was missing. "And then we didn't hear anything for a week. A whole _week_- We thought you were _dead_." Tsubasa's voice is shaking.

Shu swallows hard, trying to get a hold on his anger and bottle it up. He needs to be gentle now. "I'm sorry. I- I know that you were worried, and I'm sorry. I never meant for that to happen. But I promise, there's nothing on this journey that I won't be able to handle, and I won't be gone so long this time-"

"That's not good enough, Aniki!" Hibiki flares. All three of them seem somewhat mad at him now. "We're coming with you whether you like it or not, so you'd better get used to it!" Tsubasa and Taichi make sounds of agreement, nodding slightly.

He's just opened his mouth to begin a new round of protests when Noi interrupts him, "Shu. Let them come with us."

"What?!" Shu spins around to face him. "How can you say that-?"

"You weren't that much different when you started out, were you?" Noi's eyes are penetrating. As he always does when catching sight of this look, Shu shivers. "Shouldn't they get the same chance as you had?" He's suddenly furious at Noi; the reasoning is perfectly sound, and Shu has no defense against it.

"That's right!" Taichi pipes in. "We've never been as strong as you, Aniki, but now is our chance."

…_Fine. I didn't want to do this._

Shu turns completely towards the boys, gives them a slow, careful look. The three of them pull back, and even Noi and Bouquet seem unsettled. All of them can tell that something has changed in him. "I think you're forgetting," Shu's voice is low but sharp, "who exactly is in charge here. I'm the one that takes care of you. And if I tell you to do something, I mean it. You don't get to come unless _I_ say you do." Guilt momentarily flashes through him. He is never this harsh with the trio. It's necessary right now, but Shu doesn't like it.

"A-Aniki…" The boys stutter out his name as one. All of them are slightly teary.

"Shu…" Bouquet is fixing him with a worried look. "Why are you…?"

Without saying a thing, Shu spins around and starts walking away.

"I-I'm sorry." He hears Bouquet say, her voice fading slightly as he moves farther away. The boys only whimper in response. "I don't know what he's thinking… But I'll talk to him; maybe we can figure something out…"

Shu comes to stop, lets out a sigh. Debates with himself if he's about to do the right thing. Deciding that he'll linger on any regrets later, he calls out, "What are you waiting for?"

He can hear Bouquet stomp her foot. She must look pretty frustrated right now, or so he'd imagine. "We- we can't just _leave_ them like this!" There's a weary exhalation, then footsteps are coming his way. "Noi-chan, what are you doing?!"

For a second, he wars with himself. _No,_ he thinks. _I really didn't want to do this._ There's no helping it now, though. "I wasn't talking to you, Bouquet." He says aloud. Then gives it a second to sink in before adding, "And I didn't mean Noi."

There are three audible gasps.

Shu doesn't give them a chance to say anything. Not yet, at least. "If you're serious about this, then you have to do everything I say once we're traveling around. There are a lot of safe places in the world, but there are just as many that are deadly. Any orders I give during battle notwithstanding, Bouquet and Noi are perfectly capable of handling themselves. But if you're with us, then you have to do whatever I tell you. It's not about me bossing you around – in a truly dangerous situation, it can be life or death, and those kinds of dangers can crop up at any time. Even when it seems like nothing is going on, the circumstances can change in an instant. So I need you to be able to do as I say. I'd never be able to forgive myself if something happened to any of you. But if you're able to do that, then you can come with us." He waits, but there's no answer. "Well?" He turns around halfway. He lifts an eyebrow at three (plus two) stunned faces, and finally manages a slight smirk. "You coming or what?"

He blinks, and in that short time, the trio has reached him and they're all piling on top of him, yelling "Aniki!" at the top of their lungs. Shu can't help it; he laughs and wraps his arms around them in turn. It's not at all how he'd imagined it would be. The insistence on coming with him was not something he had anticipated, nothing he had even _considered_. But… Sometimes things work out better in real life than in imaginations. For this, time will only tell whether or not that will be the case. For their sakes, though, he wants this to have a good outcome.

Ruffling their hair, Shu sits up. Bouquet and Noi stand over them; both are grinning. "Come on," he tells all of them. "We have a whole day of walking ahead of us, so we need to get started."

Hibiki tilts his head and asks, "Where are we going again?"

Taichi groans. Tsubasa hisses at the youngest, "It's the White Brigade place!"

"That's right," he stands, offering them his hand. And when he says the next part, it feels like he's setting off on an adventure with the boys through Talta's surrounding woods. "To Nirvana!"

**Noi's "catchphrases", so to speak, such as, "By the Ancestors," (and a handful of variants) is purely creative license on my part. He never specifically says that in the anime; although, in Japanese, it could probably pass as him saying "mattaku" or "****全く****"****, which, as some of you probably know, is an expression of exasperation that can be translated a multitude of ways. This is a strictly fanon element, though; in canon, Noi never actually says it. This came about through some headcanon facts of mine mingling together, and this was the result. However, you'll see this make an appearance repeatedly throughout **_**Kyou wa**_** and several other stories of mine. (Also, it isn't just restricted to Noi; other Superior Lifeforms use the phrase as well.)**

**All of Shu's recollections about the area around the waterfall are events that take place in **_**Precious Memories**_**; most of them have been in the works for a long time, and one has been planned since the very beginning. You'll be seeing these in the collection's next couple of updates (whenever that happens…).**

**As a certain someone helping me out (a lot) brought to my attention, I should let all of you know that things are not anywhere near as tumultuous between Shu and Fushira as they were in (one part of) **_**Precious Memories **_**and **_**Homecoming**_**. Although I do still find that scenario intriguing (from a writer's standpoint, at least), in most of my writing nowadays, that isn't how things go. Basically, in **_**Kyou**_** (and some of my more recent writings and things I'm planning to write) Shu never returns to Talta between Season One and Tenkai, and while Fushira is certainly a little angry at first, all of that anger has cooled by the time Shu finally goes back home. Everything is pretty much okay between them, except that Shu feels guilty about being away from Fushira for so long (see final scene above). Hopefully, some of this was clear while you were reading this chapter too, even without this little additional explanation here.**

"…**Fine. I didn't want to do this." Though I tried to make it clear, I just wanted to point out that from the moment Shu thinks this and on, he's already decided to let the Kobun-tachi come along (even though he doesn't exactly want to). I never really felt like I explained it the way I wanted to, so I thought I'd mention it here.**

_**12/29/2012 - Minor edits have been made. Mostly just some grammatical corrections and words that have been exchanged in favor of some that are more accurate.**_


	3. Marumaro and Primula -Part I-

**Review replies for chapter two will go above here. :)**

**A big feature of **_**Kyou wa**_** is going to be the interludes. These tell the stories of Marumaro/Primula and Jiro/Kluke/Andropov. Usually the interludes will take place every other chapter or so; sometimes they will be paired together, and other times it will only be Marumaro and Primula or Jiro, Kluke and Andropov. This time we'll be getting one right after the other.**

_Interlude: Marumaro and Primula ~Part I~_

Leaning his elbows on the balcony railing, he lets out a sigh. "Maro…" _I wonder if sending Bouquet was the right thing to do, maro…_ Marumaro lowers his head to rest on his hands. _Maybe it would've been better to go myself and wait until we came to Nirvana before I tried pushing Shu in any one direction, maro…_ There's still Kluke to consider, after all…

To be honest, Marumaro favors Bouquet for Shu. In his honest opinion, things will work out better. He knows that Shu has feelings for her to some degree – Marumaro doesn't know how far those feelings run, but he knows they've developed exponentially since the two first met; Marumaro suspects that he's been absent during most of the key moments between them, since he's noticed that there have been times (during both journeys) where they have become closer practically out of nowhere. But Marumaro's gut instinct is that even if there is sometimes confusion about what exactly it is that he feels, Shu cares for her very deeply. Plus, Bouquet has already determined to marry him; the proposal was one-sided, but it's pretty much close enough. She has a lot of good points – for starters, her breasts are huge (larger than most adult women; they'll probably be enormous once she's finished with puberty, and that's something he finds himself looking forward to), she's gorgeous otherwise (seriously, her eyes are the prettiest he's ever seen, and her figure is excellent), and she has a sweet personality (she's one of the nicest people that Marumaro knows, and he's proud to call her a friend). She would be a fantastic match for Shu.

And then there's Kluke…

Shu and Kluke have known each other a long time. Marumaro suspects that even though they've never stated it explicitly, the two have probably been friends for the majority of their lives. That's a lot of history between them, and that's not something to be ignored. They have the potential to be a good match, though it's hard to say. There's a very good chance that Shu likes Kluke as more than a friend; Marumaro would put money on it, in fact. The mystery, however, is Kluke. _That girl is as ambiguous as heck, maro._ Perhaps she doesn't even know herself. Who knows? In any case, when it comes to Kluke, Andropov now has to be factored in – his feelings for her are so obvious that it's painful, and he'll definitely present himself as a romantic rival if he feels that his relationship with Kluke is being threatened. Again, the unknown factor is Kluke; Marumaro knows she is close with Andropov, but it's nearly impossible for him to tell just how much she feels for him. It doesn't help that Marumaro hasn't seen them interact very often. Additionally, someone has been reentered into the equation – Jiro. Marumaro wasn't born yesterday, and he's seen the way Jiro smiles at Kluke. Still, that was two, nearly three, years ago; time has passed and affection may have lessened. As with Andropov, he hasn't seen Jiro with her (recently), so that makes it difficult to tell. Like with Shu and Andropov, Kluke may or may not like Jiro that way – it's too hard to tell. In conclusion, pursuing Kluke rather than Bouquet will present the most difficulties for Shu – he'll have one, possibly two, love interests to fight against for the girl, and she may not even feel the same way about him. If there wasn't Bouquet to consider, then Marumaro would be fully supportive of Shu in this course; difficult as it would be, Shu is still his friend, and there is nothing that Marumaro wouldn't do for him. As it is, he can't help but wonder if trying to have a relationship with Kluke would even be worth it for Shu.

He groans, swiping a hand down his face. _This is too complicated for a guy like me, maro!_ He's a simple boy; he doesn't like complicated things. It's difficult figuring something like this out, especially when there's so many feelings involved. But Marumaro must; there is no alternative.

It's taking too long for things to resolve naturally; it's been nearly three years, and things are pretty much at a stalemate right now. If he doesn't figure out a way to solve this, Shu's going to get his heart broken very badly. And Marumaro doesn't know if Shu will be able to recover from that kind of pain. Shu is probably the most powerful Shadow User in the world (and others, if there are any; Noi had to come from _somewhere_, didn't he?), but when it comes to feelings (of all kinds), he is by far the most vulnerable person that Marumaro knows.

Marumaro bites his lip. The thought of Shu having his heart broken is making him anxious and upset. _I have to fix this somehow, maro!_ Sending Bouquet is alternating between seeming like a good and bad idea. What if he's only rubbed salt in the wound by sending her in his stead? Has she arrived yet, and if so, how has Shu reacted to her presence? _He won't take it well, if our last conversation is any indication, maro. I better not tell him it was my idea, or he'll strangle me, maro._

After giving it some thought, he'd wanted to push Bouquet towards Shu by sending her to bring him to Nirvana, and then push Kluke in his direction when he got here. From that, maybe he would be able to tell who Shu was leaning towards, and then Marumaro would be able to encourage further interaction.

But Marumaro has learned only recently that isn't going to work out – because Kluke has decided to leave Nirvana with Andropov and head back to her mountain village to rebuild.

_Well, Kluke, it looks like you've thrown a wrench in my plans, maro._ The irony of the sentence isn't lost on him. She's leaving tomorrow; it'll be impossible for Shu and Bouquet to make it to Nirvana by then. _They'll probably just miss each other, maro._

He gives it some consideration. _…All in with Bouquet, then, maro?_ It's not exactly fair to Kluke (it's not really being fair to any of them, honestly), but Marumaro needs to take some kind of action before Shu gets hurt. _So be it, maro. _Out loud, he says, "Bouquet it is, maro." There's still no guarantee that Shu will take to Bouquet, but Marumaro can start putting all his efforts into getting them together rather than taking Kluke into consideration. _Kluke has Andropov and maybe Jiro, maro. She'll be fine, maro._ He feels a little guilty for having to be so dismissive of her, but no one is going to be wounded by this more than Shu; he has to be the priority right now.

"There you are!"

"_Maro_!" He yelps and flails, unbelievably startled.

As he's catching his breath, a sweet giggle enters his ears. "You always react to everything so strongly."

Marumaro swallows hard. His mouth is suddenly very dry as he detects approaching footsteps. And then, from one to second to the next, she's standing right beside him. She tilts her head to the side, smiling at him slightly.

"S-sorry, maro…" Marumaro rubs the back of his neck.

Primula laughs softly. His heart is beating faster. "You don't have to apologize for that. It's one of the things I like about you."

_One of the things she likes about me, maro…_ His stomach is wobbling. Darn it. It's happening again.

It hadn't been this way at first. Primula had just been Primula. She was his friend, and he hadn't minded the notion of guarding her for a month.

Then, steadily, everything changed. It had come out of nowhere. He had been completely unprepared for it.

Things were fine at first. With the majority of treaties either taken care of or put on hold until the beginning of January, not much really happened (Marumaro honestly doesn't know how she keeps from being bored out of her mind). Wake up and go to sleep, eat three meals a day, find out if anyone in Nirvana is having trouble and swiftly take care of the problem if they are. Not much disturbed that daily routine. There was, and still is, a constant search going on to find out more about Rächer, but it has only been recently that it's yielded results (thus the reason for summoning Shu to Nirvana). Occasionally Marumaro would propose games to give them something to do, and Primula, though horribly inexperienced at playing with other children, would do her best to follow the rules. It brought them closer, for sure. But even if they were getting to know each other more all the time, he had still only thought of her as a friend.

And then, one day, it snowed.

It doesn't always snow in Nirvana. As with several places in the world, weather is unpredictable, and what had been considered "seasonal" in the olden days is not always the case now; it just depends on where you are.

He'd watched her, holding her hands out in wonder as the snow fell around her, and the thought had struck him with a startling and frightening clarity. _Beautiful, maro,_ he had thought. _She's beautiful, maro._ In the end, that culminated with him asking for his turn guarding Primula to be extended indefinitely. And it's only progressed from there.

Marumaro has thought that girls are beautiful before, of course. Just moments before he'd mentally admired Bouquet. But with Primula… it's different.

Even after coming to the conclusion that she's pretty, he has had no desire to grope her or lift her skirt or any of his other regular activities. And it has had nothing to do with the fact that Tarkovsky or Szabo or any of the White Brigade soldiers would harm (hopefully not kill) him for it. Marumaro simply doesn't _want_ to.

This has only happened with one other female. The thought that it had occurred with _her_, and that it's now occurring with Primula… Marumaro can't even tell how he feels about it. Maybe that it makes him confused… Perhaps a little sad as well.

He's with her all the time, and so he thinks about it all the time. The slightest things affect him – her gentle smiles, the feel of her hand in his, the way the wind blows her hair about… The thing that confuses him the most is that when he talks to her, it makes him happy the same way that chasing girls makes him happy. For all of his life, nothing else has been as important or fun as that – until now. And he can't figure out _why_.

…No. No, that's not right. Marumaro _knows_ why, knows what this is. He just can't believe that it's happening to _him_. And he can't figure out what to do about it.

Sudden movement from Primula snaps him out of it. He's always acutely aware of her now. Glancing to the side, he sees her looking behind her and from side to side. After a brief pause, she reaches up and plucks the crown from her head.

Marumaro can't help it – he laughs. "Again, maro?"

Primula tucks some hair behind her hair, cheeks becoming pink. "It feels strange on my head…"

"It's only been a few months, maro." He tries to be reassuring. "You'll get used to it, maro."

"I suppose so…" Her eyes are on him again. "So, what were you doing out here?"

"Just thinking, maro…" Marumaro debates sharing his concerns about Shu. As far as he knows, he's the only one who is this aware of the other boy's inner conflict. For whatever reason, no one else even seems to realize it. However, he decides to discard the idea quickly. It seems too private to share with anyone else, and in addition, he isn't exactly comfortable talking to Primula about _anyone's_ relationships. Instead, he chooses something he knows will be a safe bet (and, in a way, is kind of true). "I was just wondering if Bouquet made it to Talta yet, maro."

"If she hasn't already, Bouquet will get there soon." She grins wide. "She'll want to see Shu as soon as possible."

"That's true, maro." Marumaro stretches. Listening to Primula talk about it so casually, he considers if maybe he's been overthinking this a bit. Bouquet's love for Shu is strong; maybe that will be enough to carry them through. _I guess we'll have to wait and see, maro._ "Anyway, we shouldn't stay out here too long, maro. It's still cold out, and we're too visible on the balcony, maro. I think the garden would be better, maro." He reaches out with his hand, hoping that she'll take it.

"You worry too much, Marumaro." But she says it with a smile, and joins hands with him.

As he pulls her towards the inside, a sudden protectiveness takes hold of him. Primula… She's come to mean so much to him. He still isn't one hundred percent sure who they are, but he can't let those Rächer goons come near her again.

Marumaro's fingers tighten around hers slightly. _If anybody tries to hurt her, they're gonna have to go through me, maro._

**Can I just point out how much I **_**love**_** Marumaro's wise and sagely side? (I swear, I had no idea I inadvertently channeled it in **_**Troubles on White Day**_**. None at all. I had watched Tenkai's Episode 8 at the time but had no idea what Marumaro was saying.) Also, the way he always seems to be looking out for Shu (particularly when it comes to Kluke and Bouquet). I tried to illustrate that here; hopefully I did a fair job of it. Marumaro and Shu's relationship isn't something that is always given notice, but through watching some key scenes of Tenkai and writing this, I've really come to adore that facet of Marumaro's friendship with Shu; that severe protectiveness that meshes surprisingly well with Marumaro's typical silly and simplistic method of solving problems.**

**While writing this and plotting out the storyline for these two, I've realized that for me, Marumaro x Primula has become the anime spiritual successor for Game Marumaro x Zola. Maybe not everyone shares that view, but even if they don't right now – or never do – I hope that by the end of this story, you'll see this pairing in a brand new light. :)**

_**12/29/2012 - Minor addition made. The only thing that's been changed is that a "maro" has been added where it was previously (and accidentally) missing.**_


	4. Jiro, Kluke and Andropov -Part I-

**Review replies for the last chapter will go above here. :)**

_Interlude: Jiro, Kluke and Andropov ~Part I~_

She's looking out the window when she decides. She doesn't mind the hospital work, and living at the Rosenkreuz base hasn't been so bad. But gazing out at the white buildings that dot the city, she knows this place and this life are not meant for her. Kluke clears her throat before speaking. "Andropov?"

"Yes?" Without turning around, she can hear him shut the book he'd been reading. "What is it, Kluke?"

"…I want to go back to our village."

"Oh…" She hears the reluctance in Andropov's voice; she knows it's because he's missed Rogi during their time apart, and has been overjoyed to be with him again in Nirvana. _And now you're trying to take them away from each other._

It occurs to her that she could go without Andropov. When she'd imagined going back and rebuilding, he had always been there, with his warm laugh and gentle smile, the ones that he only seems to show her. But maybe that's just a wistful dream. "If you'd rather stay…" She begins slowly, only partially aware that she's chewing her lip. "…Then I understand. It's fine. I-" There's a pressure on her chest. "I'll try to visit when I can-"

"Kluke." A hand is suddenly on her arm. Her eyes dart to the glove-covered fingers, following the arm all the way up until she finds herself looking into crystal blue eyes. "I go where you go. Besides," he smiles lopsidedly, and she can't help but find it endearing, "we're supposed to have that peaceful life together, right?" There's teasing in his voice, but it's tinged with something else she can't quite put her finger on. Eagerness? Hopefulness? Or… is it desperation?

She's overtaken with a sudden plunging feeling that comes out of nowhere, as if she'd been walking along contently and then her foot had stepped on nothing but thin air. It's a feeling that's something like falling. Kluke thinks it may be shock. But it also feels a little like a slightly subdued panic.

For the first time, she realizes that she's never considered those words and what they mean, what they can imply. Even though it had been said under duress, Kluke wanted a peaceful life with him then, and she wants it now. But what exactly does Andropov mean when he says those words? What does _she_ mean?

Distress hits her without warning. It's a familiar distress; she's felt this way on occasion before, though it's been quite a while, when thinking of Shu. And, at a few points, sometimes Jiro as well. Kluke pushes it from her mind quickly; she does not want to think about it. She doesn't want to figure out what she is feeling and what it means. And she doesn't want to let thoughts of Andropov and Shu and Jiro mingle together in her mind too much – they don't sit well together in her head, and the more she tries, the more upsetting it gets.

She forces a smile. "Right." But it's with sincerity that Kluke places her hand over his and says, "Let's go home."

* * *

"I'm back!" He calls out as he enters the building. It's much warmer inside than out; today and yesterday have both been chilly. Pushing his hood back, he pushes a hand through his slightly rumpled hair. "You around, Xi?"

"…Yes, I'm here." Jiro furrows his eyebrows at the sound of her voice. He can't quite place what it is, but something is off. She sounds… hesitant, maybe?

He walks further inside, and a quick glance confirms that Xi is sitting at her desk. Her hand is near the keyboard of her computer, but she isn't typing anything, or even looking at the screen. Instead she's simply staring at the table, a pensive look on her face. "Everything alright?" He asks, curiosity mixing with concern. She never acts this way (or, at least, he's never seen her like this before).

"Not… exactly." She lifts her head; her eyes are searching as she looks him over. Jiro can't help but wonder what she's trying to find. "I have something I need to tell you."

"Okay." He fidgets, feeling restless. All of this secrecy and mystery is agitating him; he knows what she's trying to do. But _why_ is she going to such extents to put off telling him?

Her fingers tap out a nervous rhythm on the wooden desk. "I only found this out a little while ago." She sighs then, her shoulders slumping. It's like she's giving in to something. "Kluke and Andropov are leaving Nirvana."

"…Oh." Jiro is surprised his voice sounds that normal when it feels like he's just taken a hard punch to the stomach.

Something must register on his face unchecked, though, because Xi's expression suddenly turns sympathetic. "I'm sorry, Jiro."

He fakes a laugh, and it's obvious it isn't genuine, too uneven and much too happy. "No need to be sorry. I mean… It's not like it has anything to do with me, right? It's good. I've never been to the place, but I think Kluke liked it there. She'll probably be happier if she goes back." _It has nothing to do with you. Nothing. Kluke can do as she likes. You don't mind. You don't mind at all._ If he keeps telling himself that, maybe some of it will sink in.

Xi looks away for a moment, her mouth working. When she looks back at him, her turquoise eyes are thoughtful and a little sad. "Jiro… What do you want from life?"

"I…" Jiro is lost. He hasn't thought about it at all, has never even considered it. He's just been letting the days pass him by, working with Xi and not really thinking about what he's doing. Though things are not always easy between the two, he and Delphinium have pretty much put everything behind them; aside from staying in practice, he has no reason to train and get stronger. He no longer has a goal. It is two years ago again, with the enemy defeated and the lack of an opponent leaving him with no purpose. Last time he had tried to leave, but he hadn't in the end – and he isn't sure that it'd only been because Zola had returned, though that was definitely the deciding factor. The hurt expressions of Shu and Kluke had held him firmly in place, had trapped him utterly for the very same reason that he had to leave – he had cared about the two of them, about all of them, far too much; he'd decided that the only choice left was to leave, but the way they'd looked at him, like they were losing something important they'd never get back… Even if Zola hadn't walked through the door right at that moment, Jiro can't say what he would have done. _What do I want…?_ "I don't know."

* * *

Holding tight to the red backpack on her shoulders, Kluke glances around the city. It hasn't been so bad in Nirvana. She'll miss it a little bit, but the fact that she's going back to the place she's come to call home has eased most of that. Besides, her emotional attachment to White Brigade's headquarter city is minimal at best; it won't be like leaving Talta Village.

Her hands tighten on the straps of her pack as she remembers the conversation she had near this spot three months ago. _"Kluke… I know this is a lot to ask, but I want you to not go back home for a while. I have to get back to Talta and figure some things out… And I need to do it alone."_ If Shu hadn't told her that, she probably would've thought about going to Talta – it's her home, and there's still something deep inside her that longs to go back. But Shu has his reasons, and he wouldn't have told her that without a good one. She'll respect his wishes.

Then she comes back to herself as Marumaro says, "Where's Jiro, maro?" The Devee boy is looking around curiously. "I thought he'd come to say goodbye, maro."

Something twists in her chest. _Yeah, Marumaro. I would've thought that, too._ "It's okay. I'm sure he's just busy. He's still working with Xi, right?" She's been living in the same city as him for three months and she doesn't even know. _Way to go, Kluke. Some friend you are._

"Last I heard, maro." She doesn't know why, but Marumaro seems slightly disappointed for some reason. _Maybe he was looking forward to seeing Jiro as well._ Marumaro's been stuck in the castle for most of his time here, so none of them get to see him much. He probably misses Jiro, too. "I guess it can't be helped, maro."

"Well, it's not like I won't come to visit." Kluke shifts her feet, glancing around the practically empty street, wishing that she could catch a glance of silver-brown hair or ocean blue eyes. "I'll try to catch up with him then."

Primula clears her throat and says, "You'll write, won't you?"

Kluke smiles at the young girl and nods. "As often as I can."

Rogi reaches out a hand, clasping Andropov's shoulder. The younger's eyes are shining. _He looks up to Rogi so much…_ Not for the first time since her decision three days ago, Kluke feels tremendously guilty. "Take care of yourself, Andropov." The General's expression is far softer than usual; she suspects that Andropov is one of the few people that he graces that look with.

"I will, Rogi-sama." The adoration on his face is clear, and there's a little wistfulness in his voice. "And you do the same."

Rogi gives him one last pat on the arm before stepping back. "I'd appreciate a letter or two as well."

"O-of course, sir." His hand is already going up to salute the General before Andropov realizes what he's doing and starts blushing when everyone laughs. When the laughter's quieted down, Andropov plucks his rucksack off the ground. "Well, we'd better get going. Kluke wouldn't budge about teleporting us there, and I want her to get some rest when we make it."

"Kluke, don't overdo it, maro." Then, even though they haven't started leaving yet, Marumaro starts to wave broadly. "You guys be careful, maro!"

Andropov grins. "We will!" And he raises his hand in a wave.

Even as she says farewells of her own, the goodbye that means the most to Kluke is left unsaid.

* * *

"Aren't you going to say goodbye?"

"Goodbye! Goodbye!"

He can't help his gasp. Or the way that his hackles suddenly rise. It's easier to remember that he's on good terms with Delphinium when she isn't sneaking up behind him and sticking her nose where it doesn't belong. …_Fine, maybe that's a little uncalled for. But really, what business is it of hers?_

"Unless I've been mistaken, I had thought you were rather fond of that girl."

"Girl! Girl!"

Jiro whirls around and hisses at her, "Do you _mind_?"

Tossing her head, lavender locks waving, Delphinium spreads out her hands to the side. The gesture is more teasing than anything else; the smirk on her face is far from innocent. "I'm simply making an observation, Jiro."

Deathroy waves his thin little arms. "Jiro! Jiro!"

His eyebrow twitches. With a gusty sigh, he pushes down his irritation and reigns in his emotions. If he and Delphinium are going to be okay with each other from now on, he has to learn not to take everything she says and does so personally, if for no other reason than to keep the peace. "This doesn't concern you, Delphinium." He forces out the words with tightly controlled patience. Without giving her a chance to respond, he turns back around to the scene near to them. Jiro spots Marumaro looking around, seeming somewhat disappointed for some reason – and then Jiro feels guilty when he hears the other boy saying his name. _Oh._

"But clearly this concerns _you_, or else you wouldn't be here. Am I right?"

"Right?! Right?!"

He makes a noise in the back of his throat, but offers no verbal comment. As Marumaro talks with Kluke, she almost seems to be looking for something…

Delphinium murmurs something too quiet for him to hear. _Is she talking to Deathroy?_ He doesn't have time to consider it as she says, "You know, Jiro, I'd bet that girl would really like to see you."

"See you! See you!"

Something twinges in his chest. Jiro ignores it. "What do you know about it, anyway?" He mutters, thoroughly annoyed with the older woman. "It's not like you know Kluke all that well."

"Perhaps," is all that she has to say about it. But then Delphinium adds, "I do know _you_, though. Far better than you think."

"Know you! Know you!"

Jiro doesn't have any response to that, really. It distracts him, though, and next thing he knows the assembled group is laughing at something Andropov has apparently done. He watches the way the laughter lights up Kluke's entire face, and he feels an almost magnetic pull in his chest, a fierce desire to be closer to her. It's been a while since he's felt that.

Delphinium sighs. "You've had an awful lot of fighting in your life, Jiro. Maybe it's time to consider setting down some roots." There's movement, and then she's settled herself beside him. "Have you ever thought about going with her?"

"With her! With her!"

The words go through him like a bolt of lightning. Going to live with Kluke… Would she even accept his presence? Would he be able to adjust to living that way? _It… would probably be peaceful. Could it be anything like Mafe?_ Though he's never once considered trying to replicate his old life, the idea of living like that with Kluke nearby makes the thought appealing the instant it crosses his mind. It wouldn't be easy at first; he's been fighting for a long time. But he could get used to it again; it would be worth it, for her-

_Andropov._ His thoughts go quiet. All he has to do is think of Andropov, and all of it becomes implausible. Even if he didn't live in the same house as Kluke, and even if he never gave any hint about how he actually feels toward her, there's a good chance that Andropov would not accept Jiro's presence. Could Jiro accept Andropov if their positions were reversed? And he realizes that he doesn't know, because to be completely honest, he has no idea what the other boy is like. Jiro knows that Andropov is a powerful Shadow User regardless of his Shadow being artificial, and despite the fact that injury has made him less adept with Alfheim; he's also an exceedingly skilled tactician. But Jiro has no clue about his interests and opinions, his likes and dislikes. He only knows that Andropov cares deeply for Kluke.

Aloud, he says, "It probably wouldn't work out."

"How would you know if you haven't tried? I'm sure she'd _love_ to spend some time with you." The way she says it, Jiro honestly can't tell if she's teasing him or mocking him, or maybe some combination of both.

"With you! With you!"

"I doubt that." Jiro disregards the ache in his chest as he says it. "Besides, she already has Andropov with her. I'm sure she'll have plenty of company."

"Company, hm?" Out of the corner of his eye, he spots Delphinium twirling hair around her finger. "I rather thought that you'd like to be the one giving Kluke _that_ kind of company."

"Company! Company!"

"I…" Turning towards her fully, Jiro can feel his face heat up. He isn't sure he wants to know what she means by "that kind". Unless… She _couldn't_ have… "I'm sure I don't know what you're…"

"Honestly, Jiro. You're not going to play dumb, are you?" She leans closer to him. "I wouldn't be as good at what I do if I hadn't picked up on the way you look at her."

He swears mentally. _Figured me out._ "You don't know what you're talking about. It's not that simple."

She chuckles softly. "If you like somebody in that way, it doesn't get much simpler than that." Jiro's face is burning. He didn't think she'd come out and say it. "Except… Maybe someone else has caught your eye?" And she drops her head towards his, her eyelashes low-

"_Delphinium_!" He splutters and flails, smacking her arm while Deathroy chortles without restraint.

"Goodness, I was just teasing." She tucks some hair behind her ear, laughing lightly. "You're going to give me ideas if you react like that, Jiro."

"Jiro! Jiro!"

Jiro growls in annoyance. "Quit fooling around." He feels utterly humiliated. Only Delphinium, it seems, can get under his skin so thoroughly. "If you supposedly 'know so much', the least you can do is be serious about it." He stares down at his hands; it's probably an odd thing to think at the moment, but he can't help noticing that they're different from how they used to be. He wonders if anyone else has picked up on it.

"I am being serious. You're the one that's not." Her words make him bristle, and Jiro lifts his head to make a sharp retort – but the words stick in his throat as he sees the soft look in her eyes. The thing that gives him pauses, though, is the sympathy. "What do you want to do with your life, Jiro?"

"Your life! Your life!"

"_What do you want from life?"_

"_What do you want to do with your life?"_

"I…" He glances behind him. The group is waving and saying their farewells. However, Kluke seems a little absentminded; it still appears that she's searching for something. She tilts her head up, her expression a mix of hope and disappointment, as the sun reflects brightly in her emerald green eyes…

_What do I want?_

"Sometimes," he hears Delphinium whisper in his ear, so quiet that he almost wonders if he's imagining it, "you have to take a chance on something before you can find out if it's what you really want." The fact that Deathroy does not mimic her encourages the fact that it could be his imagination.

But he knows, with an inexplicable certainty, that it isn't. The words feel realer than anything else that's happened so far.

Jiro stands abruptly. He has come to a decision. Where it will lead him remains to be seen.

Delphinium lets out another chuckle. "So, you have it all figured out now?"

"Figured out! Figured out!"

"Not even close." Hearing Delphinium's noise of surprise, he turns to the side and smirks. "But finding out should be pretty interesting."

* * *

Kluke closes her eyes as the wind brushes across her face. The air is crisp and clean, carrying with it the faintest scent of grass. Andropov's hand is warm in her own, and she feels his fingers squeeze hers ever so slightly; she answers the gesture with returning pressure.

Opening her eyes, she takes in the sight of the grass waving in the breeze, the blue of the mountains that tower over all. And she is exhausted from teleporting, but the peace that fills her makes it more than worth it.

_It's good to be back._

* * *

Jiro has never actually unpacked his bag since he started living in the information gathering shop with Xi, so it's a simple matter of looping the strap over his shoulder and making sure that he hasn't forgotten any necessities. It takes less than two minutes. He wonders if some part of him already knew that he wouldn't be here forever.

The only thing he leaves behind is a note, lying on the desk a few inches away from the computer. He doesn't sign it; the recipient will know who it is.

_Just because I'm gone doesn't mean I won't be available to work with you anymore. If you need anything, you'll know where to find me. Take care of yourself, Xi. And thank you. For everything._

He pulls his hood up and exits out into Nirvana's nearly empty streets. Almost no one is around; dawn has only just begun, and many are still asleep. There's a slight chill in the air, but Jiro finds that it's a good feeling. It feels like a beginning. _Now I just have to find out what the middle and the end will be like._

With the sun on the horizon, Jiro sets off for what he hopes is something better.

**When I was writing, this was the one I looked forward to – this was supposed to be the one I had all planned out, the easy one that would give me a nice word count with little trouble. Instead, it took five agonizing days where I only went above a thousand words **_**twice**_** (and the second time was only because I had finally moved on to the next chapter). Though I'm not holding this against it **_**per se**_**, most of the blame for me not achieving my 50,000 word goal can probably be blamed on this interlude right here. And I'm still not even sure it came out very good.**

**Despite my misgivings about this beginning, the interlude arc of Jiro, Kluke and Andropov may hold some promise. (And **_**I'm**_** saying that about **_**my**_** stuff. I **_**never**_** say anything good about my stuff. Or… almost never.) Keep watch for this side story; things are going to get very interesting as it progresses, and I'm fairly sure that almost no one will see the few twists that are coming. :)**

_**12/30/2012 - Minor edits have been made. Some things in desperate need of polishing have been straightened out, and a few words have been added and/or taken away as needed.**_


	5. Chapter 3: Wonders of the World

**RedFire195065:** *laughs* Sorry about that. XD (It was a lot to type, too; my fingers had a real workout. XD) Thanks; it's going to get more interesting (I hope) as time goes on. ;) (Oh, and whether or not you've read the chapter below and the following one, I hope you enjoy it! :)) I'm glad it made you laugh, though; I can't _guarantee_ that there will be more funny things on the way (because I don't even know myself; most of the time when I write humor, it's usually spontaneous and totally unplanned), but hopefully there'll be some more laughs to come. :) It is. XD (_Jiro: *scowling* The things I go through because of you._) Thank you; I'm glad you like them. :D Okay; I'll try to update as quick as I can. :)

**FBSchin:** Thank you! :) There will definitely be more of Kluke and Andropov to come.

**Thanks for your reviews, everyone, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! :D**

_Chapter 3: Wonders of the World_

"_Aniki_…" Hibiki's voice has taken on a whining tone that is coupled with utter exhaustion. "How much farther do we have to _go_…?" The familiar pleas of the uninitiated adventurer. It's an odd feeling to hear that particular tone come out of someone else's mouth.

"C'mon, Hibiki, we've barely gotten started." Shu's gone so far, walked so many different paths; in terms of traveling, this is just another trip to him. In actuality, it is many things – being with Bouquet and Noi again for the first time in months (two for her, a little over three for him); the first journey that the trio has embarked on, and the responsibility he has to give them guidance that's at least as good as what he received three years ago; coming to Primula and Marumaro's aid, even if he doesn't quite know what's going on – but when it comes to how far they have to go and how used to it he is, for Shu it is practically a non-issue. Though it had once been him in that position, it seems so long ago that it isn't the easiest thing to recall. "This is only our second day, you know. We still have a lot ahead of us."

Shu is answered with three collective groans.

"Please." He hears Noi scoff somewhere behind him. "You three think _this_ is a big deal? You should see him when he gets really bad. Hour after hour of walking without a break… No hope of lunch or sweets in sight… We'll be lucky if he takes a break to sleep."

The boys let out a loud wail.

"_Noi_." Shu shoots a look over his shoulder.

"What?" The younger boy shrugs. "It's true."

"You're exaggerating."

"Hardly." Noi waves a hand in the air. "You walk for hours like it's nothing. It doesn't even faze you."

Shu laughs a little. "Why sit around when you have places to go?"

"My point exactly." Noi shakes his head, but he's grinning. "Do you sleep when you close your eyes?"

"Sometimes." His reply is light. Something cynical in him wants to add that no, sometimes he has nightmares instead, but he rapidly pushes it away, ashamed that it even crossed his mind in passing. _Maybe Blue Dragon's right; maybe I am depressed._ Shu feels his Shadow stirring, and before Blue Dragon does something irritating – like telling him "I told you so," or some such nonsense – he quickly returns to conversing with Noi. "And we did stop for lunch sometimes."

"Yeah, sure. Once a week, maybe." Noi quips; it makes Bouquet let out a short laugh and causes the boys to whimper.

Then Bouquet joins in, "And dinner every other week!" The exaggeration sends her into a fit of giggles.

"Good God. Between the two of you, I sound like some kind of maniacal slave driver." His own sides jerk with held in laughter as Bouquet and Noi start snickering. He only manages to sound a little stern when he tacks on, "The two of you should be ashamed of yourselves, terrorizing my boys like that."

"Aniki…" The boy's unison is tentative, and just a tad fearful.

"You don't have to worry about anything." Bouquet tells them, relenting and trying to soothe them. "Shu always takes care of us."

Shu stops abruptly. He hears Noi call his name, but for the moment he pays it no mind. Chewing his lip, he mulls it over for a moment, turning the sentence over in his head. _"Shu always takes care of us."_ Then he sighs reluctantly; he hadn't wanted to do this so soon, especially without eating. It can't be helped, though. He cares too much about the boys' discomfort to let his own tiredness stand in the way. He is unable to toughen them up the way they need, but there's nothing to be done about it now. He takes a deep breath, and then- "Blue Dragon!"

There's a swirl of blue light as his Shadow appears, and he's struck with a harsh wave of dizziness as his empty stomach lets him know that no, this is really not okay. Blue Dragon's red eyes train on him, seeing through him completely. _Don't,_ he thinks tiredly, knowing Blue Dragon will hear. _I'm not in the mood._ He gathers his strength, and turns to face the others, and even through the pain in his abdomen, his grin is only half-forced. "So. Who's up for some flying?"

After all, he hasn't had the chance to show off for quite a while.

* * *

Tsubasa grits his teeth as Hibiki shrieks in one ear and Taichi howls in the other. Even though the piercing noise is making his making his ears ring, he can hardly blame them. If it weren't for the steady mantra going through his head about how he's the oldest of the three and he has to be brave, he'd pretty much be hysterical right now.

The wind whistles through his hair. He's terrified of opening his eyes and seeing how far above the ground they are. But he knows he can't hide from it forever, and so he forces them open…

The first thing he sees is Shu – and it's with no small amount of disbelief that he sees his older brother figure nonchalantly eating a roll.

He can't help murmuring aloud, "How could he possibly think about eating right now?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He startles when he hears the other boy speak. Noi is his name. There's something that is distinctly _other_ about him, and that unnerves Tsubasa a little. But Aniki trusts Noi, so that's enough for him.

Then the words register. "Isn't what obvious?"

Noi's eyebrows furrow, and he opens his mouth to speak – but pauses as something seems to occur to him. Then his forehead is smoothing as surprise fills his face. "You… really don't know, do you?"

"Don't know _what_?" Frustration courses through him. He's miles above the ground and this kid he barely knows won't be straight with him. Tsubasa is beyond exasperated.

The other boy shakes his head. "Completely clueless." Before Tsubasa can even think of a retort, Noi is continuing on. "The primary way that a Shadow User replenishes their strength is by eating or sleeping. Bad things happen when you use a Shadow on an empty stomach or without sleep."

The reply cuts through Tsubasa's thoughts like a knife. _An empty stomach…_

"_C'mon, kiddo; let's get moving. We've got a big day ahead of us, so we should get started. We'll eat later, okay?"_

Tsubasa swallows hard. _And Aniki… Aniki used his Shadow anyway. Because _we_ were complaining about walking…_ His stomach knots with guilt and shame. The radiating pain that has been a constant presence in his feet and limbs since yesterday suddenly seems inconsequential in the face of everything else.

"You don't need to feel guilty." Tsubasa gives a start, hearing his thoughts voiced so openly. When he looks, Noi is smiling. "Shu didn't do what he did because he felt like he had to. He _wanted_ to, because he cares about you."

"…How can you be so sure?" Even as he says it, Tsubasa is relaxing. There is a calm sureness about the other boy, and the certainty gives him some relief.

Noi chuckles lightly. "Let's just say that I'm speaking from experience."

Tsubasa is struck with a sudden liking for Noi, this strange boy with the impertinent attitude who is not of their world and who knows his older brother figure so incredibly well.

He never gets the chance to reply, though, as they suddenly enter a thick cloudbank.

The entire trio immediately begins to scream, their panic full-blown. Despite the wind surrounding them, Tsubasa feels like he's suffocating. The dark gray clouds press in on them so close that he almost feels claustrophobic, even though he's never really had that phobia before. He's hit hard with the inexplicable fear that the sky is going to crush them.

"Don't be afraid!" Noi hollers over the noise, loud but calm and collected. Tsubasa mentally grabs onto the other boy's voice like the lifeline it is. "We're going to be fine! Just trust him and you'll be okay!"

_Trust him._ Noi can only mean Shu. Tsubasa nods and shuts his eyes. It's the easiest thing that anyone could ask of him – trusting Shu is the one thing that Tsubasa has done for his entire life.

After a second or two, he hears Shu murmur, "Blue Dragon." There's a message in the words that Tsubasa can't decipher, and even though he's afraid, curiosity makes him open his eyes. He does so just in time to see that they're heading straight for a light up ahead-

At first, the only thing Tsubasa registers is the blue sky, and the brilliance of it makes his breath catch. But then he hears Hibiki choke out, "Tsubasa, _look_." And when he does, he gasps at the same time as Hibiki and Taichi. The trio moves as one, regardless of their fear, scrambling to get as close to Blue Dragon's shoulder as they dare in order to see the amazing sight beneath them.

The image instantly calls to mind Kluke's checked blanket at home. But instead of red and white cloth, what lies below them is a sprawling body of water that sparkles in the sunlight, broken up by uniform lines of greenery, the foliage creating almost perfect squares of blue lined with green. Running through the middle of it is a brown dirt road that curves and twists as intricately as a ribbon.

"See?" Shu's voice snaps him out of the reverie. Tsubasa shoots a glance his way, sees the warm smile that matches his tone. The gusts of air are causing the older boy's dark brown hair to hug the right side of his face and billow away from his left. "The world is beautiful. There's no need to be afraid of it." He gestures broadly, and there's something almost wistful on his face he stares out at the land beneath them. "One thing you could try is to think of it like the forge. The fire can hurt you very badly, but you'll be fine if you're careful and respect it. And if you keep at it, you'll find that even something as dangerous as fire can create something amazing." Shu turns his eyes on them again, and smiles wider. Tsubasa imagines that Aniki can read the awe on his and the boys' faces like an open book. "Does that make any sense?"

Taichi is the one who speaks up, although he's hesitant. "I… I guess so, but…"

"Not completely, right?" Shu grins, sounding amused. "I know." He traces the trio carefully with his gaze. Then he gives a single nod that hints of him having decided something. "Okay, then. We'll try that some other time." Suddenly, Shu stands, and Tsubasa makes an alarmed noise in the back of his throat. But he remains standing with perfect balance, and Tsubasa realizes that he must have done this many times before. How else could he stay upright with such ease? "For now, let's try a different approach." Shu turns just a bit, so that his back is facing his Shadow's head. "Not _precisely_ what I was trying to tell you, but it's related."

Tsubasa opens his mouth to say that he actually _does_ get what Aniki had been saying-

But he never gets the chance, as Shu closes his eyes before falling backwards off of Blue Dragon.

"_Aniki_!_!_!" Tsubasa, Taichi and Hibiki scream as one, practically tripping over each other in their rush to reach Shu.

And Tsubasa is just registering the sound of Noi chuckling as they peer over Blue Dragon's shoulder and see Shu being held in his Shadow's hands, calmly grinning up at them. Tsubasa's eyes get watery as relief hits him hard. "A-Aniki-"

"You're afraid again." Shu observes steadily, crossing his arms over his chest. "Why?"

"Wh- _why_?" Hibiki splutters. "You- you _fell_-"

"That's right. But _I_ wasn't afraid. Do any of you know why?"

There's a momentary pause, and then Shu is answered with three quiet replies of, "No…"

Something soft enters Shu's expression as he says, "You remember how I've been saying that the world can be dangerous?" The boys nod and make noises in the affirmative. "I know it can be scary to be so far away from home. I used to get scared all the time when I first set out, and even though I'm stronger now, sometimes I still do-"

"But, Aniki-!" Tsubasa cries out.

"You don't get scared!" Taichi continues.

And Hibiki finishes, "You're brave and strong!"

Shu laughs; Tsubasa realizes with a sudden and surprising clarity that it is ever so slightly deeper than he is used to. But it's still Aniki's. "Everyone gets scared, little ones." Tsubasa doesn't have to look at his friends to know that all three of them are blushing; now that they're getting bigger, Shu has been using that endearment rarely. To hear it now is nice, but still embarrassing. "But I'm never afraid for long, and that's because I have people around me that I can rely on and that rely on me in return." He waves upward. "The reason I wasn't afraid to fall is that I knew Blue Dragon would catch me, because he's more than just my Shadow – he's my friend, and I trust him." Blue Dragon lets out a snort; Shu shoots him a fond look before continuing. "And I knew that if Blue Dragon didn't catch me, I could depend on Noi and Bouquet to help me, because they're my friends as well. And even if the three of you don't think you can do much, I still know that you would try to help me anyway if you could." Shu leans up on his elbows, t-shirt and hair being lifted by the wind. "I don't need to be scared, because I know that I have you three, Bouquet, Noi and Blue Dragon. And as long as even one of you is by my side, there's nothing that I can't do."

"Even…" Hibiki's voice sounds small coming after Shu's words. "Even the three of us?"

"Even the three of you," Shu nods at them. "Especially the three of you."

Tsubasa feels a large hand on his shoulder, knows without looking that it's Taichi. Feeling the tentativeness in the big fingers, he reaches around and finds the younger boy's other hand. "And… we can really do that? Make a difference like that?"

"I know you can." Shu lifts his head a little, and Tsubasa can see the sun reflecting in his black eyes. "Three months ago, I depended on all of the people I care about in order to do something that shouldn't have been possible. It was thanks to all of my friends that I did the impossible, and you three were just as important as anyone else. I needed everyone's support back then; I couldn't have done it without you." Lifting one shoulder in a half-shrug, Shu leans back to look up at the sky. "You said that you cheered me on, and I felt it. And because of that, this dangerous, amazing world is still turning."

* * *

"They say that a long, long time ago, this place used to be a gigantic rice paddy near a great kingdom," Shu says as he shrugs off his backpack. "And that after a time, nature overtook the field and made the place its own. This would've happened hundreds of years ago, though, so nobody knows for sure whether all of that is true or just a story."

Fiddling with a sweet biscuit that Bouquet prepared yesterday, Noi looks out over the watery land. Almost instantly, he decides that it doesn't matter. The place is beautiful, and that's all there is to it. Coming to that conclusion, he takes a bite out of his treat, feeling relieved more than anything else. It's the times that he sees places like this that he knows he made the right choice in joining Shu. He may have been considered a traitor by his own kind, but doing so saved this planet, and the beauty that it holds, from utter destruction. And along the way, he had gained not only an understanding of humans, but a bond with them (three, to be exact) that is irreplaceable.

"It probably doesn't matter too much, I guess." Shu stands akimbo, looking around at the water-flooded fields. "To most people, it's just known as the Green Waterscape or the Flooded Field now."

He glances at Shu. _Yes,_ he hides a grin behind the treat. _This was definitely the right thing to do._ He wouldn't trade his friendship with Shu for anything.

Just then, a strong breeze sweeps through the area; nearly all of them respond with sounds of protest. Noi's field of vision is briefly obscured by blades of grass that have been plucked from the ground by the force of the zephyr. When the wind dies down, he immediately notices that Shu is gone. He quickly discovers that the taller boy has headed out into the watery landscape. He's already knee-deep and halfway across the square.

Noi can't help the short laugh that escapes him. "He's really something else."

"Who?" The smallest of the trio, Hibiki, peers over at him. "Are you talking about Aniki?"

"Mm," Noi nods in the affirmative. "He's a walking contradiction, really. He can be harsh and hostile in battle, yet he's gentle and open with people he cares about. He can be so naïve that the simplest things will go right over his head, but he can be wiser than people who are far older than him." He sees Shu stop suddenly, probably near the plant-line, and as the gusts start up again, Shu stretches his arms out to the side as the wind lifts his hair and outer shirt. From that one time Shu did it before, Noi knows that his eyes are closed as he lets the air roll over his face. And - also like back then - he's probably smiling, too. "I've never met anyone else quite like him."

"You look up to him, don't you?" Tsubasa, the oldest (but in the middle in terms of size), notes thoughtfully. Despite the inquisitive nature of the words, it isn't a question.

"Look up to _Shu_?" He feels his face heat up. "D-don't be ridiculous. I'm not a little kid; I don't need to look up to anyone." He hopes fervently that his face or voice isn't giving him away.

Bouquet's giggle indicates that he has failed in that regard.

"…Just mind your own business." Noi mutters, flushed and humiliated, returning his attention back to Shu, who is just now lowering his arms. He continues to stand there for a moment, utterly still save for the movement from his hair and shirt-

-and then he throws himself, back first, into the water.

Noi blinks in surprise.

Shu surfaces only a few seconds later, facing towards Noi and the others again. He's either sitting or crouching in the water; it's hard to tell from here. Then Shu starts to laugh, unbridled and without restraint, and even from the distance, Noi can see the joy that fills his face.

Noi has learned much about humans, but Shu is unwittingly teaching him more all the time.

_Kindness. Wisdom. Recklessness. Bravery. And even those things can only _begin_ to explain him. _No, there is no one else quite like Shu. Even among other humans, he's one of a kind.

There's a splash, and Noi realizes that Shu has dived back under. With a sigh, he finishes the biscuit in one bite. He's only just swallowed it when Shu emerges from the water, soaked to the skin and grinning almost childishly; he's only a few feet away from land. _Ancestors, he can swim fast._

Bouquet lets out an exhalation that is both resigned and doting. "I suppose I'd better get a fire started…" Without turning, he can hear her rustling through their packs.

"Noi!" He jumps slightly at Shu's yell, stunned at being called. "Come into the water with me!"

"Wh-what? No!"

"C'mon! It'll be fun!" In several smooth motions, Shu has crossed the short distance to the bank and pulled himself out of the Flooded Field. "You're not afraid of going into the water, are you?"

"I am not!" Noi bites the inside of his cheek. His tone makes him sound like a little kid. Which he isn't!

He squawks as Shu ruffles his hair. "I won't let anything bad happen to you." Noi is still trying to rearrange his hair when Shu drops onto his knees, so he's completely unprepared for it when the other boy nonchalantly plucks off one of his white boots.

"What are you _doing_?!" Noi shrieks at him. Shu moves too fast for him to save the second boot; both of them are placed to the side out of Noi's reach.

"Well, _someone_ never tells me anything," Shu says it lightly, teasingly, but there's an undercurrent of hurt there that makes something in Noi's chest twinge. _I'm sorry, Shu. It has nothing to do with keeping anything from you. It's just that I'm not ready to say it._ "So I decided to take the initiative and choose for you before you do something dumb." Shu smirks mischievously and winks. "Like, say, refusing to go into the water."

"You- you can't just decide something like that!" Noi stammers, jerking back out of reflex as Shu rolls up the leggings of his uniform, bunching up the material just below his knees. "I already told you 'no'!"

"A clear sign that you don't know what's good for you." And, without another word, Shu scoops him up into his arms.

"_Hey_!" Noi grabs the taller boy's shoulders for balance, certain that his entire face is red by this point. "Put me down _now_!_!_"

"Not gonna happen." Shu is already heading for the water.

"Bouquet!" He tries to twist his head around, maybe catch a glimpse of her. When he nearly pulls a muscle, his eyes finally land on the girl. "Do something!" Noi feels relief course through him as she stands…

She cups her hands around her mouth and calls out, "Make sure you're back in time for lunch!"

_I'll remember this, Paipai._ "Let me go!" Desperate, Noi flails, even though it's pointless; Shu's grip is secure. "Let me go right now!"

"Yeesh." Shu is practically chuckling as he talks. "There's no need to be so dramatic about it."

"You're _impossible_, you-" And Noi breaks off with a startled gasp as he feels his shins being submerged in cool liquid. The gasp turns into a cry of surprise – it is _not_ a squeak, and _no_, whatever Shu says later is not true – as they go in further and his knees dip under the surface. "_Shu_!"

"Hold your breath," Shu tells him, "but don't close your eyes."

There's no time to question it or give any protest - Shu is stubborn, and Noi would rather swallow his pride than drown because he wanted to give the other boy a piece of his mind. He does as he's told.

Despite Shu's instruction, his eyes close automatically upon their submersion. Noi quickly opens them, and is surprised at what awaits him.

_It's… like a whole other world down here…_ Everything is tinted blue, no matter what it is – even Noi himself. Numerous plants that he doesn't know the names of sway with the waves. Just as he thinks he sees _something_ move, Shu is pulling him back up and out of the water. Noi chokes a little bit as they break through the surface, gratefully taking in gulps of air.

Shu's arms drape around Noi loosely (yet are still firm enough that he won't go sliding back into the deep). Noi is just noticing that the other boy's shirt is plastered to his skin, transparent enough for the tank top to show, when Shu suddenly lays his cheek on top of Noi's head. Though both of them are still catching their breath, Noi is stunned enough that his stills momentarily.

When his breathing has returned to normal, Shu quietly says, "I missed you."

Noi shuts his eyes, then presses his forehead into Shu's collarbone. "I know." _Me too,_ is what he doesn't add, but he knows that Shu will hear it anyway, even if Noi doesn't want him to. Shu's too close to him now, knows him too well, for any unspoken words or silent meanings to go unheard. _How did this happen?_ Noi wonders; the thought is half-amused and half-despairing. _How the heck did you become best friends with a human?_

The way Shu's fingers press into his shoulder tells Noi that yes, the other boy did figure him out. _I guess he always figures me out, eventually._ "Noi…" He tenses at the way Shu says him name, so soft and sad, and a sort of anxiousness creeps up on him. Noi doesn't like talking about feelings or emotions, particularly his own. Superior Lifeforms feel things differently than humans – part of that is being a different race, but it's also because being emotive, especially as much as a human, is forbidden. At first, he hadn't even known he could have emotions like that, and had almost been a little scared when he started suspecting it was possible; throughout his journey with the others, it had begun to seem more and more plausible as he felt things he'd never experienced before (laughing with Marumaro about ridiculous things, warmth in his chest as Bouquet tucked him into an inn bed, a light feeling that he could only describe as happiness radiating through him as he shared apples with Shu, the odd skipping of his heart as he looked into Linda's gray eyes). He'd known it for sure, though, when he watched Shu and Blue Dragon nearly killed at Rudolf's hands; Noi cried real tears of sadness for the first time in his life, felt such excruciating pain in his heart. It had felt like he was dying.

_We can feel emotions the way humans do, if we simply allow ourselves to._ When he'd gone back to Valhalla – the first time since infancy – he had tried to tell them that, tried to get them to understand how incredible humans were and just how much Superior Lifeforms could learn from them.

…His reward was to have his position as chairman revoked.

_Not that that was the only reason,_ Noi amends grudgingly, _but that probably had plenty to do with it. I'm sure they were just _thrilled_ at the thought of a human-loving fledgling brat leading the Sky Dragons._

He shakes the thoughts away; thinking about that now isn't helping. Plus, he thinks he knows where Shu is going with this, and he needs to head it off _now_. A change of subject should do the trick. "So, in my absence have you been as sappy and sentimental as you were in the sky earlier?"

The force of Shu's sudden laughter jerks through the both of them. When he settles, he says, "Only if it's necessary." Noi hears the smile in his voice. "Besides, they're still growing boys. They still have a lot to learn about life, and I'm the one who's supposed to teach them." He shrugs slightly. "And sometimes it has to come out as being overly sentimental. Some lessons will stick a little better that way."

Noi scoffs lightly. "Well, I hope you aren't thinking you can teach _me_ like some little kid."

Shu abruptly tenses, relaxed arms becoming rigid. In the dead silence that follows, Noi knows that what was only supposed to be a joking comment in passing was very much the wrong thing to say. He swallows hard, afraid to look up and see whatever is in Shu's eyes.

He doesn't get a choice in the matter, because Shu pulls away – not letting go, but only so that they can look each other in the eye. Noi flinches at the pain in his expression. "No." Shu's voice is shaky and hurt. "No, I suppose I didn't think that. But I thought that you'd at least let me take care of you."

_Oh, by the _Ancestors_, you idiot, what did you do?_ "_Shu_," even Noi can hear the desperation in his tone. "I didn't mean it like that-"

Then Noi _feels_ it, and he shrieks. He scrabbles at Shu, hoisting himself up the other boy while Shu asks him what's wrong. He locks his legs around Shu's middle, heels crossed at the small of his back, trembling like a leaf. Shu grumbles something under his breath – what sounds like a curse and something about "bony ankles" – but Noi pays it no mind. "Oh," his fear is audible, and he doesn't bother to hide it. "Oh my _God_." Superior Lifeforms don't use that expression too often – the same way that humans don't usually use any expressions in reference to any of their ancestors – but after spending so much time with Shu, it slips out now and again.

"Noi?" Shu pushes a hand through Noi's hair. At least if nothing else comes from this, the hurt note in his voice is gone, replaced entirely by concern. "Noi, what is it? What's wrong?"

"In- in the water-" He gulps. "I-I felt it- it tried to- Oh, _Ancestors_-" The last bit is practically a wail.

"Calm down. Tell me what happened." There's urgency in his hold and his grip.

Noi forces himself to do what Shu says. _Shu will protect you. Shu will keep you safe. You just have to trust him._ "It… Something…" He takes a deep, shuddering breath. "Something in the water tried to _eat me_."

"Tried to…?" The other boy sounds baffled.

And then, much to Noi's horror and humiliation, Shu starts laughing uncontrollably.

"What are you laughing for?!" There aren't any words for just how furious he is right now. "It _isn't funny_!"

"I'm sorry," he's still breathless from the laughter. Noi fumes. "It's just… Well, look down and see for yourself." Shu nods at the water below them.

Terror strikes at Noi. Surely the monster that tried to devour him is lying in wait. It must look hideous and terrifying. He doesn't understand why Shu wants to frighten him so. But... The other boy always has his reasons for doing things; if he wants Noi to look, there must be a rational explanation for it. Sticking his courage, he looks down, preparing to stare down his frightening adversary with unflinching-

Noi chokes as he gazes down at the water – and sees a collection of little fish that are vaguely the color of a tomato. They're about the size of Shu's fingers.

…He's made a total fool of himself.

"They're called nibble fish," Shu explains, reaching his left hand – the one that isn't on Noi's back – into the water. "And like their name, they'll nibble on just about anything." As if prompted by his words, several of the little creatures swim towards his outstretched fingers and begin to do just that. "They won't eat you or anything, though. They're pretty friendly, and perfectly harmless."

"…Oh." Noi clears his throat. Perhaps he can get out of this with a shred of dignity still intact. "I… didn't know that."

"You don't have to be afraid of them." Shu tilts his head to the side so their eyes are level again. The kindness and sincerity in his smile make Noi relax. "It might tickle a little bit, but they won't hurt you. I promise."

Tentatively, he stretches his toes toward the water. Uncertainty flits through his head, and Noi's mouth goes dry. What if Shu is wrong? What if they don't attack humans, but will try to devour a Superior Lifeform? He shoves away his doubt; Noi owes it to Shu after the way he misspoke before. It's that thought that enables him to take the plunge, thrusting his foot into the water up to his ankle. Noi promptly yelps, jumping slightly, as the fish begin nibbling at his heel. But like Shu promised, they bring him no harm. His shoulders loosen as his mind is put at ease.

"See?" And his voice sounds like before, when he'd talked to the trio of boys that look up to him so much. "Nothing to worry about."

"Shu…" Noi fights off the urge to wince. He hopes this won't come out as awkward as he feels. "About… what I said…"

"Hm?" Shu seems entirely unconcerned; either he doesn't know what Noi is about to say, or he's trying to ignore it.

"You…" The words lodge in his throat. This shouldn't be this hard. "You don't have to teach me anything."

"Oh." All of the color drains from Shu's face at a rapid rate. Noi's stomach twists into a knot. "I- I'm sorry. I didn't realize- I guess I must've sounded like I was lecturing you when I talked about the fish, huh-?"

"_No_. _Listen_." His tone draws Shu's full attention, silences the pained and nervous words tumbling out of him. "You don't have to teach me… because you do it all the time. Every moment that I spend with you, with Bouquet and Marumaro and your friends… I learn a little more each day." He ducks his head down, embarrassed. "So... You don't have to put any extra effort into teaching me or anything. Because you're doing that all the time, just by being yourself."

There's a short pause. Then Shu lets out a laugh, happy and full of relief, and hugs Noi tight. "Now who's being sentimental, huh?"

"Just shut up," Noi feels his face heat up. "Crazy idiot, hugging everybody all the time." Even as he says it, Noi is returning the gesture.

"Only my friends." Shu is still chuckling a bit as he says it. Able to hear his steady heartbeat, Noi rolls his eyes and allows himself a reluctant grin. "I mean… Come on, I can't hug you now either-?"

That's when they both hear the scream.

And because his ear is so close to it, Noi hears Shu's heart skip, along with the hoarse whisper that follows. "Bouquet."

* * *

With a passing gratefulness that he was the Talta River Race champion two years in a row, Shu orders Noi to hold onto him tight and dives into the water, swimming like his life depends on it.

Adrenaline floods through him as he cuts through the liquid like a knife, mixing and mingling with the magic thrumming through his veins. Belatedly, with a rush of panic, he realizes that he didn't tell Noi to hold his breath. He spares a glance down, and is grateful to find that the smaller boy isn't imminently drowning. With that reassurance, he pushes his body to the limit, Bouquet's scream echoing in his head. _I have to make it…!_

He breaks through the surface with a gasp, fingers digging into soil that turns to mud from the wetness of his hands. He hauls himself onto the dirt path, blinking water from his eyes, trying to identify the threat-

Once his vision is clear, his eyes lock onto it immediately; the creature is too big to miss. The thing is humongous, nearly three and a half times his size; from its appearance, it can only be a jellyfish. Except… It looks like it has a staff stuck through its middle. A scrap of knowledge, half-forgotten and at the edges of his mind, nudges at his brain. _Magic Jellyfish._ Something he learned from school, maybe, but the important thing he recollects is that it has mastery over magic, particularly the elements. _This might be tricky._

Then he remembers. _Bouquet._ He calls her name aloud, "Bouquet?!" His eyes dart around frantically, hoping to catch a glimpse of her or the boys-

"Darling!" He follows the sound of her voice, sees her crouched behind a large boulder with the boys clumped beside her. All of them are unhurt. Relief makes his knees weak.

Then he looks Bouquet over again. Her eyes are teary, she's practically pouting and her voice sounds childishly petulant as she says, "Go teach that thing a lesson _right now_!" She pounds the side of the rock. "It ruined the meal I was making!"

"It ruined the…?" He doesn't comprehend it right away. But when he does, he's filled with a boiling rage. "Are you freaking _kidding_ me?!" Noi winces in his arms, probably from the volume, but he isn't inclined to lower it. "I thought-" _I thought you were dying._ And he had felt horrified down to his very bones. "I thought something _terrible_ had happened to you-!_!_"

"Something terrible _did_ happen to me!" Bouquet thrusts a finger toward the jellyfish, and he realizes that she's becoming more and more infuriated by the second. "That- that _thing_ ruined the lunch I was working so hard to prepare!" She lunges slightly in his direction – he feels heat rise to his face as her breasts bounce, and for the first time he notices there's something familiar about the necklace she's wearing – and clenches her fists in front of her face with unrestrained fury. "So, go beat it up now!_!_ Or _else_!_!_!"

_What is it with girls getting mad over their cooking being ruined?_ He would wonder if she'd picked this up from Kluke, but back then they hadn't even met Bouquet yet. It's a strange mix of creepy, funny, and sad – though the last bit is probably just on Shu's part.

Irritation wins out over the other feelings, and Shu pinches his eyebrows as he mutters, "Fine."

His ears perk up at a sound, a sharp noise akin to whistling, and it's only from honed reflexes that he jumps out of the way in time as a razor-sharp Wind spell comes careening toward him. Shu lands in a crouch, glancing behind him and to the side; the monster is a little closer than it was before. _Gotta stay on my toes for this one._ He shares a glance with Noi, and the two of them nod at each other in perfect understanding before Shu lets the boy go. Thrusting his right arm in front of him and his left behind, he spins circularly toward the jellyfish, calling out, "_Blue Dragon_!" With a flourish of blue power, his Shadow summons.

"Che," Blue Dragon scoffs in disdain. Basically, he responds exactly the way Shu expected him to. "You called me out to deal with _that_?"

"Thought you'd be glad to get a little fighting done." Shu is only partly paying attention; his eyes travel up and down the jellyfish, seeking out any visible weak points. Unfortunately, nothing is particularly promising. _Guess we're going to be winging it with this one._

"Well," he can hear the grin in his Shadow's voice, the eagerness for a good battle, "when you put it like _that_."

It's time.

Shu locks his knees, preparing to bolt forward. "Noi, flank it!" He feels a rush of wind at his right side, hears the call of the Black Dragon; barely a second later, dark wings are flying through the air, moving with purpose towards their target.

Noi tries a standard attack first, purple-black energy unleashed from his mouth like fire. It seems to have no effect on the creature, as the jellyfish simply begins to bat at the Black Dragon with its tentacles. Letting out a growl of frustration, Noi flies up, flipping in the air once, before dropping hard to hit it with a kick. At first, it seems like it has an effect, the clawed foot seeming to make somewhat of an indentation – but then he's bouncing back, forcefully thrown back as the jellyfish's skin wobbles.

_No good. It's like he's kicking gelatin._ "Alright, Blue Dragon," Shu shifts his stance. "Looks like it's our turn!"

"Got it!" Blue Dragon flaps his wings. Shu can tell he's just itching to start throwing punches. _Let's try something else first, though._

Shu swings his arms wide. "_Rusty Nail_!_!_" Left, right, left, right- Quickly, swinging as quickly as he can-

Blue Dragon's speed is almost double of what Shu's is; his arm blades move like a blur. But like when Noi tried, only small quivers on the surface of its jelly-like skin indicate that there's been any contact.

_It's gonna be like that, huh?_ "Fine," Shu pulls his arm back, everything from his elbow to his fingertips as straight as a sword. "Let's see-"

Blue Dragon finishes for him, "-how you deal with _this_!_!_" Shadow and User thrust their arms forward as one.

It seems like it might be working. The sharp tip of Rusty Nail digs into the jellyfish, and Shu feels hope rise in him; maybe they can puncture it like a balloon-

And then the gel-like flesh _bounces_.

The force of it throws both Shu and Blue Dragon backwards. His shoes leave skid marks on the dusty trail, and his joints twinge in complaint at the abuse. Noi lands heavily beside him, swearing mildly. "This is no good, Shu!" He glances at the Black Dragon, whose blue eyes are sharply locked onto their opponent. "It has an iron defense! We're not getting through!"

Shu returns his attention to the jellyfish, sizing it up. Electricity crackles around its body as it floats in the air almost casually. It seems completely unaffected by anything that he, Blue Dragon and Noi have tried to do. _Weakness… What is its weakness…?_

"Shu, watch out!"

Noi's warning snaps him out of it just in time; he leaps out of the way as a torrent of Water crashes into the ground where he and Noi stood seconds before. He regains his footing – then freezes, glancing back at the ground. _Water…_

Mind suddenly racing, Shu shuts his eyes, pressing fingers to his forehead as he thinks. "Water… Elements…" _The element of the Magic Jellyfish and the majority of its variants is… water…_

_What did you learn about elements in school?_

_Water… Water…_

_Wait._ There. The answer's eluding him, just of reach, but he's close now. _What did you learn about elements…? _Not_ in school…_

_Kluke. Nene. Chimera's forehead._

…Opposite_ elements._

_What's the opposing element of water?_

Shu's eyes open, wide with the realization. "That's it!" He swiftly looks about the impromptu battlefield, taking only a slight notice in an upturned pot spilling stew into the dirt, before spotting just what he needs – a boulder, not unlike the one that Bouquet and the boys are taking cover behind. _Perfect._

He pushes off, twisting in the air so he'll face the right way, and manages to plant his feet firmly on the stone. He takes a second to gain his balance, then prepares to move into the correct position. Shu hopes he remembers how to do this; it's been a while. He lifts his arms, hands curled into tight fists, crossed at the wrists as blue aura flares up around him-

"Are you _serious_?" He tries not to flush at the incredulity in Blue Dragon's voice. His Shadow recognizes this particular stance; he'll probably never forget it. "_That's_ what we're using against it?"

"Don't complain." His voice is somewhat short. "Blue Explosion isn't purely fire."

Shu takes a deep breath – then thrusts his arms down. "_Fire Crisis_!"

He'd been hoping that even though the attack is weaker than his usual ones nowadays, the full Fire-element would be stronger because of the jellyfish's base element of water.

Instead, the result is an enormous explosion of flames, swallowing the jellyfish in what is a borderline inferno.

"Holy…" Shu trails off, gaping in disbelief. He's so shocked that his mouth is hanging open. "…That didn't used to be that strong."

Finally, the fire dies off into embers. The jellyfish is scorched – but, much to Shu's frustration, it's still floating with relative ease. But then he notices it – the onslaught has pushed it back a bit. _If we keep it up, we can try to toss it into the water. With the electricity, there's a chance that it'll electrocute itself… And even if it doesn't, that should be enough incentive for it to leave._ There's no guarantee of either scenario, but it has to be worth a shot.

"Again!" He repeats the movements from before. "Fire Crisis!"

The sheer strength of the attack shocks him as much as it did the first time. _Gee, it would've been great if it had been this strong two years ago,_ he thinks a little sourly. _Would've made life a lot easier._

Snapping back to the present, he checks the position of the jellyfish – and grins. _Almost there!_ "Alright, Blue Dragon!" He lifts his arms once again. "One more time should send it straight into the water-!"

"Shu, _don't_!_!_!"

Noi's panicked cry instantly makes him go still, breath catching in his throat. The hesitation is long enough to make the power that had been building around him start to fade. It seems like it may be a moot point anyway – the jellyfish, weakened from the repeated attacks, is starting to tip back toward the Waterscape. "What-"

There's a hurried beating of wings above his head – and then his heart is jumping towards his throat as Noi grabs onto the jellyfish, regardless of the electricity crackling around it. Any semblance of composure that he may have had _snaps_ when the dragon boy yells in pain. "_Noi_! What are you doing?!"

"Shu-! The electricity, the water-" He lets out another cry, gritting his teeth afterwards. The words that follow are rushed and desperate. "Shu, the _fish_!"

The air stills in his chest. And this time, his heart _drops_ instead, all the way down to his stomach.

"_They're called nibble fish."_

"_You don't have to be afraid of them."_

"_It might tickle a little bit, but they won't hurt you. I promise."_

It's foolish, it's ridiculous, it's childish- But his eyes are stinging and there's a sharp feeling in his chest, because something about that moment had been important enough to Noi – either Shu or the fish or both – that he'd risk his life for it-

Swearing, Shu hops off the rock. He doesn't know what he's going to do – even if Rusty Nail _did_ work, which it doesn't, going on the offensive is no longer an option – but what he _is_ sure of is that he can't just stand around when Noi needs help.

But he doesn't make it.

With a sudden burst of electric shock and a swing of its tentacles, the jellyfish knocks the Black Dragon off. Noi loses his dragon form mid-air, crashing to the ground as a young boy once more.

"_Noi_!" Shu starts to go to him – but has to jump away as the Earth is ripped up from a short distance away and crashes into where he'd been standing. He glares at the jellyfish venomously. "You…" He knows saying anything directed at it is pointless – the chance that it can understand him is pretty low – but he's too enraged to care. _If anything happens to him…!_

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Noi try to push himself up on shaking arms. For a second, it seems like he succeeds, but then falls back to the ground with a small cry.

"Noi-chan!" Shu hears movement, shoes scuffing against rock-

"Bouquet, stay where you are!" No way is he letting this thing anywhere near her again. Not after what just happened to Noi.

Blue Dragon flares his nostrils, breathing hard through his nose. "This thing is ours, kid!"

A corner of his mouth twitches. Equally true.

Shu stares the jellyfish down – and, strange as it sounds, it's inspiration that hits him. He takes in the shape of it with a new light. _If you don't count the tentacles or the staff, the top of it is pretty round…_ A plan now in mind, his eyes narrow with determination. _It's round _enough_._

Without a word, Shu dashes forward; from Shu's thoughts, Blue Dragon should understand his intent without any need for vocal communication. When they're close enough to the jellyfish, he shouts, "_Now_!"

And Blue Dragon reaches out and grabs it with both hands.

The pain is instantaneous; it's doubled for Shu, because he feels what damage is being done to both Blue Dragon and himself. Shadow User resistance and the fact that he doesn't have any conductors on him (thank God he'd left his dog tags – and Bouquet's seashell – in his backpack) is probably the only reason he doesn't get fried to a crisp. But he grinds his teeth together and tolerates it; he has to, or this won't work.

"Shu!" It's Bouquet, and she's afraid for him; he can hear it in the way she says his name. He doesn't think about it, doesn't look over, for fear that it will weaken his resolve.

"Blue Dragon," he forces out through his teeth. "Get its tentacles out of the way."

"I'm," his Shadow's hands slide awkwardly on the slippery creature electrocuting them, struggling to get a handle on it, "_trying_."

"Try _harder_." This is going to be difficult as it is. Though pain is another story, Blue Dragon's sense of touch is not directly passed over to Shu. Basically, he's going to have to grab onto air, and in order for this to be successful, he'll have to rely entirely on muscle memory. The whole idea of it is kind of chancy, but it's the only thing he's thought of. _Gonna have to roll with the punches, here._

"Just about…" And Blue Dragon manages to pin its tentacles to its body, leaving the jellyfish practically balled up. "…Got it!"

Trusting Blue Dragon to follow his motions, Shu stretches out his hand, cupping the air like it's a ball. _The Waterscape is your field._ His eyes land on a mountain peak in the distance. It's far, but Blue Dragon's raw power – even without any input from Shu – should be enough to compensate. _And that's what's going to be your home plate._ It'd be easier to picture this if he was hitting the jellyfish _with_ something – a stick would be ideal – but hopefully, this will work out anyway.

Taking a second to check his form, and making sure that he uses his shoulder, Shu pulls his arm back-

-and, for all intents and purposes, he and Blue Dragon pitch the jellyfish.

It sails through the air at an arc, shrinking steadily the farther it goes, before finally reaching the intended destination. It flops slightly upon landing before getting back up, hovering slightly, before spinning around and heading further into the mountains – just as Shu knew that it would. He doesn't know how it ended up here, but at least three different varieties of jellyfish make their home in that mountain range.

Once he's fairly certain that the creature is gone and not coming back, Shu unsummons Blue Dragon and sprints to where Noi is still fighting to sit up. He grabs onto him, afraid to let go. "Easy, kiddo," he murmurs. He can feel the tremors that wrack his body; Shu isn't sure if that's from the injuries or the electricity. He doesn't like the sound of either. "Let me help you up." Noi concedes with no argument.

When his head is resting against Shu, Noi says in a scratchy voice, "You know… If you did more fielding and pitching, you might actually win for a change." Eyes closed, the boy's mouth twitches into a grin. "You suck at batting."

"I do _not_ suck at batting." His muscles tighten with agitation, teeth grinding together. "I hit a _homerun_ in that game."

Noi shrugs tiredly. "Probably a fluke."

"It was a fluke that I lost!" Shu shakes his head. "What do you know about it anyway?! You didn't even know what baseball _was_!"

"Funny, that. Particularly since I beat you on my first try."

"_That_ was the fluke!"

Noi chuckles a little. "I like to think of that as beginner's luck."

* * *

"Ow, Paipai, _watch_ it!" As Noi shouts at the top of his lungs, Shu has to hold back a grin. The kid looks ready to bite Bouquet any second now.

"No one asked you to go and shock yourself on a jellyfish." Bouquet tells him reasonably. Having cleaned the wound on the boy's cheek, she begins bandaging it. "If you're going to get hurt like that, then afterwards you have to sit still and be taken care of."

"I don't _feel_ taken care of," Noi huffs. "That stuff _burns_, Paipai."

"It burns because it's healing you." She presses the gauze square onto his face. "And _Bouquet_, by the way."

"Yeah, whatever… Ouch!" Noi flinches away from her as she begins taping it down.

Shu finds himself drawn to the necklace again. Even in the orange lighting from sunset, he recognizes it for what it is. Almost subconsciously, Shu reaches out and lifts it up. "You still have this?" Faintly, he realizes that he sounds a million miles away.

"Wh-what?" Bouquet freezes. He can't quite figure out why-

Then Shu comes back to himself, sees the rosy color flooding Bouquet's cheeks, the inquisitive glance that Noi is sending his way. Swearing mentally, Shu snatches his hand back. Mouth drying out at an alarming rate, Shu swallows, though it does little good. The two of them are continuing to stare at him, and Shu realizes that he won't be able to escape from this situation without saying anything. Feeling suddenly, inexplicably shy, he runs a hand through his hair as says to Bouquet, "You kept my anniversary present."

"Huh?" Bouquet is confused, but the moment passes quickly as realization dawns on her face. "Oh! Of course I did," She smiles down at the cord that hangs from her neck, her free hand reaching up to gently press the little blue disc a few inches below her collarbone. "It means the world to me. I almost never take it off." She giggles. "You probably didn't notice because my pink top covered all of this." She gestures at the general area where the necklace is.

"You wore it… that whole time?" Shu fights against the weird feeling in his stomach. He isn't sure that it's working.

"Pretty much. Well," she amends thoughtfully. "There were _some_ times that I had to take it off, like if I turned invisible or took a bath. But I always put it back on afterwards. I only wore the bracelets once, though," she holds out her wrist; the bracelet is the one that matches her necklace. The one on her left wrist, the hand she's bandaging Noi with, was the present he gave her for her eleventh birthday. "It was back when we were at Bikinice…" She trails off unexpectedly, seeming a little melancholy all of a sudden.

Then it hits him. Bikinice. _When I went to see Kluke. Shoot._ "Well," Shu says quickly, "it looks good on you." And there's a part of him that isn't just saying that to change the subject; a part of him that means it.

And Bouquet hears it, apparently, because she's beaming at him. "That's so sweet of you, Darling." He feels awkward; some of it must show on his face, because Bouquet lets out a light laugh at whatever she sees in his expression. Much to his relief, she returns her attention to Noi. "Alright, Noi-chan. This should hold you for now." She pats the bandage on his cheek. "I'll change these in the morning, okay?"

"Thanks." Noi mumbles, looking a little flushed. Then, without a word, he gets up and starts walking off.

Bouquet shoots a worried look Shu's way. "Don't worry," he tries to be reassuring. "I'll go see what's up." She nods at this, biting her lip as she stares past him in the direction that Noi has gone.

Shu only takes a few steps before he sees Noi crouch down at the water's edge. With a knowing smile, he goes to join him.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Noi seems surprised and a little skittish at Shu's presence, like he's been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to.

"Relax." Shu chuckles, crouching down beside the other boy. He doesn't give any explanation (none is needed, really) when he leans forward and dips his hand into the water. Some of the fish that had been circling around Noi's already submerged fingers swim over to Shu's curiously. There's a short silence that follows; it's peaceful enough that Shu is reluctant to break it. Eventually, though, he does. "Why'd you do it?"

With his free arm, Noi holds his knees closer. "You know why."

"Almost," Shu allows. "But not quite."

"If you can't figure it out, that's too bad." Noi buries his head against his legs. "You're not going to make me say it."

"I know. Thought I'd try anyway." Shu pulls his hand out of the water, shaking it free of any remaining liquid. The fish that had nibbled at his fingertips swim in a circle. He knows the thought is silly the second it crosses his mind, but he can't help it – it's almost like they're waving goodbye. He stands and stretches, then places a hand on Noi's shoulder. "C'mon, Noi. We've got a little over an hour before night falls. Let's try and put some distance between us and that jellyfish. Just in case, you know."

Noi sighs. There's something wistful and reluctant about the sound of it. "Okay." As he gets up and turns from the water's edge, Shu catches the disappointment that briefly crosses his face.

Shu catches his arm quickly, faces the boy towards him. He kneels down so that their heads are level. "Tell you what. On our way back to Talta Village, we'll make a stop over here. Sound good?"

Green eyes light up, a mixture of joy and anticipation. And when Noi speaks, the dismissive tone he uses sounds only half-hearted. "Yeah, sure. If you want to."

**The "nibble fish" seen here are a lot like the nibble fish seen in real life. However, ours usually just eat dead skin, while the ones I've used in the Blue Dragon world will – like Shu says – nibble at just about anything. Again, they favor dead skin, but the difference is that they'll readily nibble on anything put in front of them (though I don't know for sure, I think that the regular fish won't nibble on just anything).**

**The Magic Jellyfish here is a lot like the one in the game. Think of it sort of like a Boss!Magic Jellyfish.**

**In my headcanon, Bouquet wears that necklace pretty much all the time in Tenkai; it just never gets seen because she has her shirt on all the time, and when she doesn't, she's either invisible (where she'd have to take everything off) or bathing (would also have to take everything off). The only time it's possibly viewable and she isn't doing one of those two things is Episode 8, where we see the necklace in the first place.**

_**1/1/2013 - Minor additions, edits and corrections have been made. Review replies added to the top. One more thing: Happy New Year, everyone! :)**_


	6. Chapter 4: Boiling Point

**Review replies will be above. :)**

**This is the last chapter I wrote in November, so this it for the time being. Hopefully that'll change soon…**

_Chapter 4: Boiling Point_

Bouquet cranes her neck back, gazing up at what's above her in awe. _The trees are huge…!_ Try as she might, the tops of them remain out of her line of sight. There is a constant flow of dripping water that comes from above – she isn't sure if it's _rain_, precisely, but it might as well be. She considers pulling up her hood, but then decides against it – it's probably a good way to get sick, but the sort-of-rain feels so nice on her face that she can't bring herself to mind too much.

"Everybody try to stay in sight of each other, okay?" Shu's words call her back to reality. Realizing that she _is_, in fact, losing sight of the others, Bouquet hurries after them. She follows the sound of her Darling's voice; the most reliable guide that she has in life. After all, he has yet to steer her wrong. "This is a big place, and it's easy to get lost…"

"There isn't anything…" Hibiki's tentative voice pauses for a moment, then continues. "…_dangerous_ around here, is there, Aniki?"

Bouquet steps over a large root as Shu answers in the distance, "There are probably dangerous things all around us." At the three frightened whimpers that follow, Shu lets out a light chuckle. "It's okay, it's okay. Don't worry about it. That's what I'm here for, and Noi and Bouquet too. That's why I'm telling you to stick close. Don't be scared; we won't let anything happen to you."

She ducks under a tangle of deep green vines, staggering and shivering a bit when her foot plunges into an icy puddle. Shaking her foot out, Bouquet straightens up – then brightens as she sees Taichi's orange shirt. Glad that she's finally caught up with the others, she rushes to join them-

Bouquet pauses, then starts walking backwards, tilting her head back to get a better look at what she saw out of the corner of her eye. When she finds it, she comes to a stop, letting out a soft breath. "Oh," she says wonderingly, taking a step toward it. "It's so pretty…"

The flowering plant is nearly her height, looking very striking with its colors of red, yellow and purple.

She spares a glance behind her, then quickly returns her attention to the oversized bloom. The boys won't mind if she just takes a peek, right? She'll be right there; they won't even notice she's gone…

* * *

Shu is picking leaves out of his hair when he hears Bouquet shriek.

He whirls around, and immediately knows that he's moved his body the wrong way. The realization comes too late for him to correct his mistake, though, and he goes crashing to the forest floor. His front half is almost completely submerged in one of the pools that have formed due to the water constantly pouring down on their heads. He grips a handful of moss to give himself leverage, trying fitfully to free his feet from the knot of twisted roots that tripped him in the first place. Knowing that this will take too long, Shu grits his teeth and shouts, "Noi, go to her! I'll catch up!"

The boy takes off like a bolt of lightning, practically leaping through the foliage that they'd just crossed through. Then, much to Shu's alarm, the trio follows after Noi.

"Wait!" Shu struggles, cursing as he forces his right foot free and slices open his shin in the process. "Tsubasa! Taichi! Hibiki! Come back!" There's no response; they've probably gone too far ahead to hear him now. Groaning in frustration, he squirms for several more seconds before he finally extracts himself from the imprisoning undergrowth. Swaying as he gets to his feet, he takes off at a run, hoping that he isn't too late to stop whatever it is that's happening.

He crashes through the plants that block his way, having to take a moment to free his shirt from a branch before resuming his mad dash toward Bouquet. Spotting the boys clutching at each other in a clearing, seemingly unharmed, Shu only allows himself a second to feel relieved before he slides down the incline, kicking off near the bottom and landing only a foot away from them. He straightens, head snapping from side to side as he searches for the threat-

The first thing he notices, inexplicably, is the blushes that cover the boys' faces. It's confusing enough to give Shu pause. Bewildered, he turns toward whatever it is that holds their attention-

Shu nearly chokes on air.

_Bouquet._

At first, the only things he can see are her legs, waving wildly up and down; from the angle she's at, her shorts are showing (probably what has the boys flushed in the first place, though it's likely the fact that they're able to see up her skirt at all that has them red-faced; the shorts aren't quite as revealing as regular underwear would be).

And then he realizes that's the only thing he can see of Bouquet – because she's being _eaten by a huge flower_.

Just as the situation becomes apparent to Shu, Noi lunges forward and bites the stem. Before Shu gets the chance to say that might not be a good idea, a vine wraps around the boy's waist, hurling him away into a tree trunk. Smacking against the wood hard, Noi collapses into a crumpled heap; he remains conscious, but seems like he'll be dazed for a while and unable to help.

Swearing, Shu rushes forward. As he approaches, he makes a split-second decision and flings himself at Bouquet and hopes for the best. Unlike he'd feared, the apparently living flower does not instantly attack him (it must only respond when someone makes direct contact), and so he takes the opportunity to wrap both arms securely around Bouquet's hips. She immediately tenses, then begins to thrash around even more, letting out a muffled shout. "Bouquet!" He tightens his grip, teeth grinding together; between the flowering plant trying to devour her, the rain making her slippery, and her constant moving, he's just barely able to hold onto her. "Bouquet, it's me! It's Shu!"

Her movements slow down. Then, suddenly, she goes lax in his grip and gives a miserable cry that sets off an ache in his chest. "Hang on!" He presses his fingers into her skirt and the little bit of skin that hasn't been swallowed up completely, hoping that she'll find some reassurance in both the pressure and his words. "I'm going to get you out of there, okay?" Taking a deep breath, Shu begins to pull with all of his might.

For a moment, he feels hope rise in him when Bouquet slides toward him a little. If he yanks hard enough, maybe he can get her free-

But then the flower seems to tug _back_, multicolored petals sucking her further inside, and it uses so much force that it actually pulls Shu's hands inside of it. He makes a noise of disgust; the interior is slimy and unbearably hot. _Gross._ But at least if nothing else, he can get a better hold on Bouquet. He leaves one hand on her hips, but moves the other up to her abdomen-

Horror floods through him as he feels the hitch in her stomach. "Oh, God," he croaks hoarsely. _It's suffocating her!_

There's a flash of blue light that covers everything, and when Blue Dragon summons, he honestly can't tell if it's just his Shadow acting independently again, or if Shu did it himself subconsciously through his fear.

"Looks like you really did it this time, Shu." Blue Dragon comments offhandedly.

"Why don't you help instead of that?!" For the most part, Shu sounds exasperated. But even he can hear the keen edge of desperation that has entered his voice.

"Alright," there's a sharp sound, like a sword being drawn, that Shu recognizes as Rusty Nail. "Let's chop this thing to bits!"

"_Wait_!" He feels aggravation ripple through him, knows that it belongs entirely to Blue Dragon. "You'll hurt Bouquet like that!"

There's a tense moment where nothing happens, but then he feels the magic slip inside him as, with a muttered curse, his Shadow shakes Rusty Nail free. Shu lets out a relieved breath. "You have a better idea, then?" Blue Dragon's tone is as sharp as a razor.

He spares only a second or two to debate with himself about it before nodding. "Yeah," he jerks his head towards the flower. "Try to hold open its mouth, or whatever it has that passes for it. I'll try to pull Bouquet out in the meantime."

Blue Dragon snorts. Shu's already shaky confidence wanes even more. "Fine." But despite how unwilling he may seem, Blue Dragon complies with Shu's instructions.

The thing won't budge at first; it's like trying to pry open a vice. Shu gives him more power, though, and that does the plant in – it releases its hold like a steel trap being sprung apart, and Bouquet flies out of it.

However, since Shu has been pulling at her without ceasing, they _both_ go flying, landing in a discombobulated pile on the forest floor.

"_Ouch_." Shu winces as he gets an elbow digging into his side. Discomfort is soon forgotten as he realizes that he has Bouquet in his arms; she's gasping for air, but she's _okay_, and that's what matters. Relief tightens his throat as he murmurs her name, "Bouquet-"

"_Shu_!" There's a warning in Blue Dragon's voice, and he knows instinctually to look up-

A horrible, piercing screech echoes through the area, making his skin prickle and his teeth clench together. He knows that it comes from the flower, which starts wriggling all over the place suddenly, leaves and vines reaching out like they're going to grab one of them-

Shu doesn't give it a chance. Throwing himself over Bouquet as a shield, he gives Blue Dragon everything he's got and shouts, "_Blue Explosion_!"

The blue burst of fire and light completely encompasses the flower. It lets out one last shrill cry before the attack finishes it completely. When the blast has faded, nothing remains but a smoking pile of ash, which slowly begins to be carried away by the continual shower.

Shu stares for a moment, then falls back on his arms, letting out a tired huff. "Finally…!" Just as his eyes nearly slip shut, they snap open again as he hears a whimper. He scrambles forward, sitting fully upright, glancing down at the black head of hair pressed against his chest. "Bouquet? Are you okay?"

She grips his shirt tightly in both hands, then lifts her head, gazing at him with teary amethyst eyes. "_Darling_…! I thought it was going to _eat me_…!" Then she buries her head against him again and begins to bawl in earnest.

Shu blinks at her. Then he sighs and places a hand on top of her head. "You went and wandered off again, didn't you? What am I going to do with you?"

"Honestly, Bouquet," he turns at the sound of Noi's voice, annoyance mixed with amusement. "I thought you'd know better than to go near something like that."

"It wasn't _moving_ when I went near it," Bouquet pouts in Noi's direction, almost sulking. "I thought it looked pretty."

Everyone but Bouquet groans.

"I didn't know what would happen!" She wails, looking ready to cry again. "I wouldn't have gone anywhere near it if I'd known!"

"Don't worry about it," Shu tries to soothe her. "It didn't get the chance to hurt you, so that's the important part, right?"

"Mm," she nods, then manages a small smile. "But that's because you saved me."

_Oh. Oh, no._ That glimmer is in her eye, that shine of adoration and love. The weight of her body pins him to the ground; he won't be able to escape. The only thing he can do is try to diffuse her, and that chance is slipping away by the second. "I-I didn't do a whole lot…" He waves a hand in dismissal.

She shakes her head. "No, it's because of you, Darling. You rescued me!" Bouquet leans forward, pressing against him further. Her back is soft against the inside of his arm, and he can feel the curve of her hip on top of his thigh-

_Stop!_ He thinks desperately. _Stop it! You can't-!_ "N-no, Bouquet, I-"

"Shu." Noi's urgent tone cuts through the haze in his head like a knife. "Something's wrong."

"What is it?" He glances around. Despite his sudden clarity, he's still in the dark about whatever it is that has Noi's guard raised. With the flower gone, nothing stands out. The forest seems peaceful, if anything.

"I don't know." Noi wavers slightly, seeming a little distressed. "But whatever it is, it feels… off."

Shu breathes out from his nose. "Alright." He nudges Bouquet off so he can stand, then offers her a hand to help her up. The "romantic mode" (as he calls it) she'd been heading towards has been averted for now, her attention redirected towards the unseen danger. "If you say something's up, Noi, then I believe you. But I need _some_ kind of idea about what it is. Otherwise, for all we know, we'll be walking straight into a trap-"

Movement, out of the corner of his eye. Shu twists around, calling out a warning that will reach the boy too late. "_Hibiki_!_!_" His heart leaps toward his throat-

Noi is faster, though – he shoves the smaller boy out of the way as the flowering plant lunges at the spot where Hibiki had stood seconds before. Taichi and Tsubasa yell in fear, then follow suit.

The forest suddenly comes alive with them – large, living flowers identical to the one that tried to swallow Bouquet. There's a dozen at the very least, all of them letting loose with those terrible shrieks. Shu doesn't know what's attracted their attention – there are plenty of possibilities – but the fact remains that for whatever reason, the plants now have set their sights on the group. He swears mentally. _There's too many to fight here; we'll never be able to defend ourselves from this position._ "We have to get out of here!" Shu shouts to the others, then summons Blue Dragon again (the fact that he didn't even realize his Shadow had unsummoned probably says everything about his state of mind). "Blue Dragon, let's go!"

His Shadow scoops up everyone in a single motion before flying off at full speed, weaving through the trees with only mild difficulty; the only reason it presents a problem is because Shu is distracted from trying to help everyone onto Blue Dragon's back. As it is, Shu himself nearly slides off.

Once everyone is secure, Shu chances a look back. Much to his surprise, he discovers that none of the plants are in sight. The corner of his mouth pulls up into a half-grin. "I think we lost them-"

"_Shu_!_!_!"

"_Aniki_!_!_!"

Everyone is shouting for him, and he knows, without even turning, that whatever he'll see is bad. He snaps his head forward again-

-and sees the intricate web of vines they're about to fly into. He makes a distressed noise, knowing that there isn't enough time for Blue Dragon to dodge it.

All of them are thrown off of Blue Dragon, who becomes tangled in the vines. Shu hits the ground hard, the impact jarring through him painfully. He tries to sit up, and is hit with an intense wave of dizziness that nearly causes him to blackout.

"Shu!" It's Blue Dragon calling him; he's surprised that his Shadow hasn't unsummoned yet, considering how disoriented Shu is. There's urgency in Blue Dragon's voice, like something dangerous is approaching. "Shu, get up!" He tries to comply with the demand, but his body is so uncooperative that it verges on being unresponsive.

His strength returns to him, though, when he hears Tsubasa's terrified cry.

Hauling himself up, he lifts his head just in time to see one of the plants looming over the younger boy, and the vertigo impedes him so much that Shu knows he'll never make it in time-

And then Bouquet is pulling the boy out of harm's way by the wrist, dragging him away as quickly as she can. She disappears with Tsubasa into a tangle of vegetation, the flower giving chase a second later. Shu shakes his head, desperate to clear it – and then Noi is pulling him along by the elbow, the other hand clutching at Taichi, who has Hibiki tucked against his side. "Come on!" The shorter boy forces him to move, and it's all Shu can do to keep up as they crash through the greenery.

As soon as they've passed through, the ground turns into a slight hill. With his head spinning around, Shu has to struggle to not end up falling flat on his face. The constant shrieking, a sign of the flowers approaching from behind, adds an unwanted layer of tension to the situation. Noi glances over his shoulder, then comes to a stop; Shu staggers as he's released. "You guys go ahead," he says. "I'll handle these guys back here!"

"But-" Taichi starts protesting.

"Just _go_!" Noi shoves them, and Shu bites the inside of his cheek as he narrowly avoids dropping. If he hits the forest floor, he isn't getting back up again; the plants will be on him before he ever has a chance to regain consciousness. Snatching up Taichi's wrist, he hurries up the slope; he's worried, but tells himself to trust in Noi. The boy would not have sent Shu ahead if he thought he couldn't handle it. But even once Shu has reassured himself about Noi, there is a lingering sense of dread that he can't shake.

When he reaches the top of hill, he knows why.

Shu tried. But he's too late.

Though it's to blame, it isn't the plant itself that does them in. It isn't Bouquet's fault; with her full attention on the flower and keeping Tsubasa away from it, there's simply no way for her to know. Not in time to do anything about it, at least.

"_Bouquet_! _Tsubasa_!" The strangled scream that is their names somehow finds a way out of Shu's constricting throat, a warning that goes out too late to let Bouquet know that she and Tsubasa are about to step off the cliff.

* * *

She's falling, plunging into a steadily darkening abyss that encompasses her a little more every second.

Not just her, though; Tsubasa is here, too. That thought is what snaps her out of the icy terror that should render her immobile, and instead she curls around the boy protectively, hoping that she'll be able to shield him from some of the impact when they hit the ground.

It's not as bad as Bouquet expects, but it's still pretty awful. She hits the hillside _hard_, instantly rolling down the steep dive. Rocks and branches bruise and cut her on the way down, but she never lessens her hold on Tsubasa.

The descent seems to go on forever, at least in her mind. Eventually, though, it finally comes to an end as Bouquet fetches up against the base of a tree. Her back throbs and aches; she has to bite back the pained moan that tries to push out of her. She has to be strong; someone is counting on and depending on her to be okay - or, at least, okay enough to get the both of them through this. "Tsubasa?" Bouquet says his name tentatively. "Are you okay?"

"Anego…" The small head pulls back, and then dark eyes are looking up into hers questioningly. Though she doesn't know why, there's a faint tinge of pink that covers his cheeks. "I… think I'm okay. What about you?"

"I'll be fine." She hopes it isn't a fib. With shaky limbs, she pushes herself onto her hands and knees. "We should get out of here, though. It isn't safe."

* * *

"Bouquet! Tsubasa!" The horror of what's happened rises up in his chest, grips him with unrelenting insistence as it chokes him; _strangles_ him. They had only been out of his sight for a minute, maybe even less. It doesn't seem possible that he could lose them both in such a short time.

Then he sees the plant creeping towards him, its leaves stretched out as if to grab onto him, perhaps to smother him.

Fury wells up in his chest, sudden and intense. To think, after everything that he's been through, that he would lose two of his friends (_his family_) like _this_, after all of the life-threatening situations that he has weathered, all of the opponents he has faced – to lose _anyone_ to an enemy so inconsequential that fighting it should have been unimportant enough to not even warrant _thinking_ about…

Shu screams; a scream full of potent, boiling rage. He brings out Blue Dragon again, calls up Rusty Nail in an instant, then tears into the living flower with reckless abandon.

They've stolen away what's dear to him. And Shu won't let a single one of them escape.

* * *

Bouquet's hand slips on the rock she'd been using to prop herself up, the surface slick with moisture. The continuous shower reaches even here, it seems. The area is dark and dreary, making it difficult to see where she's going. The lack of visibility doesn't sit well with her; not when there are hostile creatures so close at hand.

Regardless, she keeps a tight arm around Tsubasa, who clings to her like she's some sort of anchor. Whenever her stamina begins to wane, she needs only to think of him, and of Shu, and her strength returns. She refuses to fail either of the boys.

She'll keep trying, no matter how hard it gets.

And then she's brightening as she sees an ideal spot for them to hide out.

* * *

Shu pants hard, trying to catch his breath as he straightens out of his battle stance. Torn plant bits litter the ground around his feet. Scowling, he kicks away the scrap closest to his right foot.

"Yeesh," Noi says it under his breath, but Shu still hears him anyway. "Shu really tore into these things, didn't he?"

He fights the urge to snort; anything that he finds funny about the comment passes quickly, anyway. Instead, he rushes toward the cliff edge and starts hollering at the top of his lungs, "Bouquet!_!_ Tsubasa!_!_"

There's no response, save for the echo of his yell. A dozen scenarios flit through his head, and none of them are good.

"Come on, Shu. We can't stay here," Noi calls to him. Even as his stomach twists at the words, Shu knows that he's right. "There's no point shouting over a cliff and drawing attention to ourselves. Let's get bandaged up and then head down to look."

* * *

"Tsubasa? Tsubasa, can you hear me?" The voice rises out of the darkness like a submerged leaf coming up to the water's surface. He scrunches his closed eyes, then lifts them open – and finds himself staring into lovely purple eyes that are still shinning despite how dim their surroundings are. She leans back, giving a warm smile, and his heart skips a beat. "There you are. You dozed off, I think."

He looks around, trying to get his bearings. It appears they're under some sort of rock ledge; it isn't deep enough to warrant being called a cave, but they aren't exactly out in the open either. Roots hang over the edge, and a pang of longing goes through him as he thinks about home, remembering the spot that he and Aniki and the boys would meet up at. His eyes sting a little as the homesickness hits him full force. _I wish I was home now..._

A soft hand presses against his forehead, and suddenly Bouquet is all he can see (both literally and figuratively). He fights against a flush, afraid that she'll notice it due to her close proximity. "How are you feeling?"

"B-better, I think…" Tsubasa swallows hard.

"Good." She leans back. He has to force himself to not let out an audible breath of relief. Something sad works its way into her smile. "All of this excitement must be a lot to handle. You probably needed a break." Sighing, she settles herself beside him. _Don't tense up,_ Tsubasa instructs himself. _Don't tense up. From this close, she'll notice._ She giggles, a little tiredly. "I think I could go for one, too."

Tsubasa glances at her from the side. _Bouquet…_ One of his worst fears has become reality – he's stuck with her, alone and with no one else around, for a prolonged period of time. He rubs his suddenly sweaty palms on his dark shorts. She's as beautiful as the first day he saw her.

Calling Bouquet "Anego" had been Tsubasa's idea. True, he hadn't thought of it until he heard her Shadow call her that, but Tsubasa had been the one to propose it to Taichi and Hibiki. It hadn't taken any convincing; both of them had liked the suggestion from the beginning. He had been hopeful; maybe if he could _call_ her "big sister", he could remind himself that she was in love with Shu, and Aniki, at the least, liked her back a little. Maybe by calling her Anego, he could stop his breath from quickening when he talked to her or stop his heart from racing if her hand made contact with his.

…It didn't work.

"Hey… Bouquet?" Tsubasa clears his throat, pressing a hand firmly against the pounding in his chest. It's the first time he's said her name since the day he met her.

"Mm?"

He chooses his words carefully. "You… really like Aniki, don't you?"

She beams at him. "With all of my heart."

Tsubasa is thankful that he avoids outwardly flinching. He couldn't help but ask; he _had_ to. It still stung, though. He isn't jealous of Shu, though; not even close. He cares too deeply about Aniki to let something so petty and foolish like jealousy eat away at a friendship that strong. Aniki's more than his friend; he's his family. _I just wish somebody would give my heart the memo that Bouquet's going to be my family, too._ He tries to hold it in, but a slight sigh pushes out of him anyway.

Bouquet grins at him. "Missing Shu already, huh?" When he starts to splutter – because really, how is he supposed to explain this one? – Bouquet puts an arm around his shoulder and rubs his arm soothingly. His heartbeats start coming faster. He can only hope that she won't feel it or, though less likely, even hear it. "It'll be okay. I'm sure that Darling's already on his way. He's probably really worried about us…" She frowns momentarily, like this has just occurred to her, but then she smiles down at him again. "But even if he isn't coming, that's okay too. Because as soon as we rest up a little, we'll start looking for everyone. Alright?"

Tsubasa nods. "Mm."

"Good." Bouquet practically hugs him to her, and so Tsubasa gives in, pressing himself fully against her side. _I could stay here next to her forever,_ he thinks, feeling drowsily content, _I could stay here with Bouquet forever and I wouldn't mind at all._

Then, out of nowhere, Bouquet goes rigid, and he wonders in alarm if he somehow spoke his thoughts aloud without realizing it-

She clamps a hand over his mouth. When she whispers to him, her voice is as tight as piano wire. "Don't move. Don't make a sound."

He can't move his head very well with the firm grip that Bouquet has on him, but manages a single nod. Tsubasa doesn't know what's going on, but something has Bouquet spooked very badly. But what?

Tsubasa thinks he may have received an answer when, from a little ways ahead of them, two round lights glint in the dimness. It takes a second for his brain to catch up with what he's seeing and put together that the shiny things are actually a pair of eyes.

* * *

Bouquet doesn't think, only reacts, grabbing Tsubasa with both arms and _leaping_ away from where they'd been sitting. There's a terrible, sharp noise that sets her teeth on edge. When she turns around, her mouth goes dry as she sees the deep gouges that now mar the rock wall.

Her breathing speeds up as a low, rumbling growl comes from the darkness. She backs up into the opposite wall, keeping Tsubasa behind her and shielding him with her body. The glimmering eyes approach at an almost lazy pace, before their owner finally steps into a patch of light.

She knows the creature well because she's transformed into it before, has walked in its footsteps. But that doesn't necessarily mean she's strong enough to fight one.

And Bouquet cringes as the Steel-Eating Tiger lets out a fearsome call.

* * *

Shu is just kneeling down to wrap some gauze around his shin when he hears the bellowing cry.

His head shoots up, and something – instinct, perhaps, or maybe Blue Dragon – tells him that he has to go _now_.

He gets to his feet and propels himself towards the edge, hopping off the hill and sliding down the incline, paying no mind as Noi shouts his name.

* * *

The Tiger begins circling. Bouquet has to think fast now; time is of the essence. A single second could decide their fate.

_Don't question anything; just do it!_ Nodding to herself, she talks to Tsubasa without turning, "Make sure you stay out of the Tiger's line of sight at all times." At least if she can draw its attention, Tsubasa will have a chance to run once it's distracted enough. What she'll do then, she doesn't know – but it doesn't bear thinking about now. To survive, she has to think of only what's happening right this instant and not even pay attention to what comes after.

She moves swiftly, lunging to its right. The Tiger growls and prepares to pounce on her. She hits the ground rolling, already summoning Hippo-chan as she tumbles head first. "Let's go, Hippo-chan!" She has to trust that he'll be able to read her intentions without vocal instruction. Bouquet usually doesn't transform on the go like this – if she doesn't do her usual movements on top of Hippo-chan's head, (and) or if she's moving but it isn't transforming stances, there's a chance that she'll screw up and lose hold of her transformed self and turn back into herself; it's tricky like that – but desperate times call for desperate measures. Her pulse ratchets up as she hears claws raking the ground – if she hadn't been dodging, she'd probably be in ribbons right now – and Hippo-chan swoops in and curves around her-

Changing into a boy used to be difficult, in the early days when she was still a little girl and was in the process of getting used to having a Shadow; the lack of weight from her breasts always made her feel like she was either floating in the air or about to topple over at any second.

Bouquet may not be an adult, but she is not a small child anymore. And she wears Shu and Blue Dragon's form like a second skin.

She probably should have transformed into his ten year old self, though; using his attacks is a little easier that way since that was the age he'd been when he used them on Bouquet, so she could copy them with her then-new Power Up from the Extra Seven. Unfortunately, the only attack she has access to is Rusty Nail; Fire Crisis had practically become obsolete at that point, and Shu has always been scared of using Blue Explosion on her. And Bouquet has always been touched by that, but she'd really appreciated having it right now.

"_Hah_!" She strikes out with Rusty Nail; Blue Dragon's right arm blade whistles through the air like a sword as it sails toward its target.

But the Tiger is faster. It's already gone by the time the attack has struck, and the only thing that gets cut is the grass. _Shoot!_ She pulls her arm back, _I have to try again-_

"_Anego_!" The panic in Tsubasa's shout lets her know that she's in trouble.

Bouquet whirls around – just in time to see the clawed paw only inches away from her.

The only reason she doesn't instantly die is because she's transformed. The strike is basically degraded to a glancing blow, but even that is stronger than Bouquet can tolerate. She lets out a choked noise, the transformation sliding off her with a puff of pink smoke as the blow slams her into the ground, stealing the air from her lungs. Breathing hurts, and she wonders distantly just how badly it's injured her.

She forces her head up, winded and worn out, and she sees the gleam in its eyes – the killing intent. _This can't be it,_ she thinks helplessly. _It can't end like this._

But then a rock smacks the tiger on the side of its head. It snarls, infuriated, twisting toward whatever threw the projectile-

"_Leave her alone_!_!_!" His voice breaks and he sounds scared out of his mind, but there's a familiar, unwavering determination that rings true. She knows it well, because it belongs to Shu.

_Tsubasa._ He's drawn attention to himself now. The Tiger can kill him without even batting an eye.

_No!_ Her teeth grind together. _I won't allow that to happen!_

She doesn't even look at the Tiger, concentrating entirely on launching herself in the direction of Tsubasa's voice. She's fortunate enough to catch him on the shoulder, sending them both sprawling to the ground as the Steal-eater digs its claws into the wet dirt where Tsubasa had stood. Panting in effort, she crawls over the boy, draping herself over him as protectively as she can manage. "I won't let it hurt you," she feels the backs of her eyes sting. "I swear, I won't let it hurt you. I- I'll try to distract it, but you _have_ to run away, okay-?"

"Anego, watch _out_!" She feels Hippo-chan's arms wrap around her, and he struggles to pull her to safety, weakened due to her own poor state-

Bouquet screams as a claw manages to slash her leg, ripping through some of her thigh-high. Even without fully hitting her, the strength behind the swing is enough to send her, Hippo-chan and Tsubasa all flying.

She works herself into a kneeling position, eyes darting around for Tsubasa. Bouquet sees him only a foot away from her. Standing on shaky legs, she spins around, fists raised in the air. She meets its sharp stare with a narrow glare of her own. Transforming is pointless now, considering how easily it reverted her to her true form. Without transformation, she and Hippo-chan simply don't have enough power to stand any chance against it.

But if it wants Tsubasa, first it has to go through _her_.

Its legs muscles tighten; it's preparing to spring, and Bouquet braces herself for what she knows will be the end-

-and instead sees a shining blue arm blade slice open a wound on the Tiger's face.

* * *

Incensed, Shu has Blue Dragon hit it with Rusty Nail again, leaving a twin cut on the other side.

He is _sick_ and _tired_ of nearly losing both Bouquet and Tsubasa. And Shu's patience is spent.

The Steel-Eating Tiger growls at him, likely angered that a formidable opponent is standing in the way of its meal. Shu would love to beat it to a pulp, but knows that it's too unsafe. If he fights with it, he'll go all out, and there's a chance that Bouquet – who's already injured, and he tries not to think too hard about the terrible gash on the back of her leg – or Tsubasa could get caught in the crossfire. And perhaps that chance isn't _extremely_ likely, but it's a risk that Shu is not willing to take.

So, instead, Blue Dragon lets out a tremendous roar, loud and powerful enough to shake the ground (which actually glows blue for a second), feeding off of Shu's pent up anger and multiplying it tenfold.

The Tiger shrinks back, letting out a slight growl before taking off into the forest, just as he suspected it would. Steel-Eating Tigers are notorious for being territorial. But it's obvious who the stronger predator is here.

Shu turns slowly. Bouquet and Tsubasa are both gazing at him in disbelief, like they aren't sure he's real. Then he's running toward them, feeling tears slip down his face before he even reaches them, and he hugs the two of them, _hard_, fingers digging into Tsubasa's hair and his palm pressed tight against Bouquet's shoulder. They probably shouldn't be just standing here like this, considering that the three of them are practically _half dead on their feet_ – Bouquet is actually _bleeding_ – and there are dangerous creatures prowling around – Shu hopes that the Tigers and living flowers will do the world a great service by killing each other horribly (and in brutal agony, please and thank you) – but he can't help it, he _can't help it_, because they're really here and if he'd been even a microsecond slower he would've lost them forever. The thought brings on a torrent of more tears. Bouquet is sniffling into his already-soaked shirt, Tsubasa is wailing into his side, and Shu is faintly mortified as he realizes that he's started to make those very embarrassing sobs and hiccups he makes when he cries really hard.

But it doesn't matter – because he has Bouquet and Tsubasa in his arms, hurt but alive, and that's all he could ask for.

**Scenes 1-6, and Paragraphs 1-16 of Scene 7 were written on November 30th. The rest was written today, December 1st, which is the reason why posting was delayed so long. I apologize for the inconvenience.**

**This chapter turned out to be so much more dramatic than I anticipated! (The previous one did, too, though not to the same degree; I kind of expected everything that happened there.) To think, this was originally supposed to be one of the **_**sillier**_** chapters. :P (…Oops?)**

**That's all of it for now! Hopefully it won't be too long before this gets updated... Anyways, I'll be around. See you soon! :)**

_**1/4/2013 - Minor edits made. Mostly incorrect words being replaced with the right ones, and a few that were exchanged in favor of a more accurate and/or descriptive word.**_


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